


Competency

by iArgent



Category: GreedFall (Video Game)
Genre: Actual plot, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blasphemy probably, Blood, Body Worship, Cock Piercing, Coitus Interruptus, Combat, Explicit Sexual Content, I Will Go Down With This Boat, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Idiots to lovers to friends to ....uh husbands?, Kinky Shit, M/M, Male De Sardet, Navel piercing, Nipple Piercings, Riding, Sexual Frustration, by way of a sudden storm, cuz unlike us they didn't play the game, im not sorry, im sorry, lots of kissing omg, no beta we die like men, they think they cant be together yall, while we studied their futures they studied random shit for survival
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 05:31:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 24,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20830208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iArgent/pseuds/iArgent
Summary: De Sardet's sexual history is varied, disappointing, and unsatisfying. Which is why the itch returning and being directed at the Naut Captain? Bad idea, he has to make eye contact with the man for two more months.Thankfully, Vasco is not a disappointment.





	1. Sudden Storm Sudden Stop

**Author's Note:**

> I started falling asleep toward the end as I wrote this, so hopefully it's intelligible.

The deckhands burst into laughter at something he couldn’t see. The Captain bolted over, also laughing, to snag a loose rope, wrenching on the rigging and pulling it back.

And De Sardet’s stomach twisted with that damnable itch.

He knew what it meant, of course. His body’s infrequent attempt to try and soothe the frustration without rubbing himself raw. However if in twenty five years he hadn’t successfully soothed it once with another person, he was left to believe the act itself simply wasn’t sufficient. To hear Constantin dreamily recounting a night in a brothel, (and oh why oh why would he tell him, let alone be dreamy about it?) or Kurt flopping down next to him as he read, relaxed and insufferable smelling of perfume, sleeping with people was a miracle cure. 

How many times had he walked the floor, books open and frustrating as he paced trying to find a solution to any given problem, shoulders tense and teeth on edge, only for Kurt or Constantin to tell him a roll in the hay would soothe what ailed him? The answer was far to many.

The worst, of course, was that he tried. He’d tried women first, regretted it, and moved on. Men were disappointing in all new ways, but at least he liked some of it. 

In twenty five years, his sexual preference seemed to be a simple mix of: Male, is attractive enough, is willing, can actually make an orgasm happen. 

To date he could tick off an astounding three boxes in his last partners. Granted, he realized his options were slim. Unlike Constantin whose transgressions were easily overlooked or even superfluous to his rank, De Sardet had to actually have the respect of these people to be a diplomat. Which meant instead of finding someone who knew what to bloody do, he had to settle for the occasional discreet noble who’s knowledge of sex appeared to start and stop at ‘put it in, go.’ he’d been in multiple positions, staring at the ceiling as the filthiest of phrases poured over his ears, and dreamed of nice relaxing, satisfactory paperwork. 

And still, the itch.

Considering the monumental disappointment of each encounter (“Yes, thank you, I find I can trust no one else with such base needs, Lord such and such, of course, you’ve elevated my understanding of what it is to be intimate with another.”) and subsequent lies, he didn’t understand why his fool body still wanted it. Sure, once or twice something had felt better than general above okay, but not enough to justify the continued occurrence. 

He’d resigned himself to just handling it on his own. Which was fine, without the ability to purchase anything outside of oil for fear of gossip and scandal, he was left to find out what felt good by trial and error. He himself was infinitely better than any of his past partners, but it was still simply something to take the edge off. He definitely wasn’t getting what he wanted out of it, but a half baked notion of pleasure that occasionally felt amazing was far superior to locating someone, living in abject disappointment for an hour, then going home, taking a bath, and handling himself anyway wishing the idiot he’d found could have handled what he’d needed him to. 

The itch sometimes selected specific people. He could walk by a few hundred beautiful men and women and feel nothing, but suddenly one person stepped out of a shoe shop and he felt the all consuming need to see if this man was also an abject disappointment. He inevitably was, if De Sardet bothered to try. 

Which is why the Captain, who definitely wasn’t going to be open to trying, was off limits. 

He had to be on this boat with the man for another two months and two weeks. If the weather held. Captain was adamant that while they could predict about a week out, after that it was a touch blurry. 

So of course Constantin had asked how far out Naut magic could predict, Captain had sighed softly through his nose, fixed the Prince with a golden stare, repeated a week, as if he wasn’t speaking to nobility, and walked away. 

De Sardet thought he may be in love.

It was difficult to feel that way, of course, when the Captain hadn't spoken a personal word to him beyond welcoming them aboard, giving rules, instructions for seasickness, and who to speak to if they needed something.

“It’s a ship. Not a boat.”

He’d sounded so offended and bewildered at the same time, De Sardet had wanted to laugh and kiss his scowling mouth.

Then promptly never initiated conversation again because he’d never wanted to kiss someone before. He’d done it. But very few of his partners seemed inclined to let him in on how it worked and just sort of…did whatever they wanted while he tried to keep up, obviously secondary to whatever they were doing. A few tried, and okay pleasant enough, but an okay kiss and bland sex together was the carnal equivalent of a sock that was only slightly damp. Not nearly as awful as it could be, nowhere near what is wanted. 

So De Sardet passed his time aboard the Sea-Horse sparring with Kurt, which was delightful, and spending time with his cousin, which was also delightful. They hadn’t had the chance to simply be together in years, the Nauts didn’t gossip about lie ins and sparring and jokes they laughed too hard at, worries, and conversation. They were passengers, not wards.

And Constantin was so happy to be on the open sea. He was sick as could be, but still found time to explore, cheerfully meeting all he could, as his faithful cousin walked behind him, joining the introductions and learning. 

So really, the itch would just get in the way.

De Sardet went to turn away from the spectacle on the deck, but as he went to turn, the Captain did as well. Which was fine, because they didn’t exactly speak-

“De Sardet!” The man called, and oh great hells did that make his entire abdomen roil. 

Obediently, De Sardet approached. “Captain?”

Captain nodded approvingly “It’s a fair day, how are you enjoying your voyage?”

Oh thank whatever gods were listening it was obligatory small talk instead of a desire to know De Sardet more. 

“The weather is fair and the company even more so.” De Sardet answered “I’ve found I’m recovering from my earlier bout of seasickness, and I find everything on board fascinating. So to answer your question, I’m enjoying it greatly.” 

Captains smile was sly, but teasing “Well, can’t say I’ve ever been called fair but I’m pleased you’re enjoying your time.”

If De Sardet was any less trained his cheeks would have been painted red in reaction to the jape. As it was he felt his smile twitch, and allowed himself a small exhale in favor of a laugh. “Captain if you’ve never been called fair I’ll fling myself from the bow and take my chances with the sharks.”

“Well I suppose I’ll drown myself with the morning tide if you’ve never had the compliment returned.” Captain said, curious and airy, loose and jesting as if they did this daily. 

“Why in hell would you drown yourself for a bet?” A familiar voice piped up from a few yards away, and Captains face shuttered, body becoming businesslike instead of loose and approachable. De Sardet felt his small smile fracture and still felt conflicted. Constantin had once again saved him, and at the same time he wasn’t sure he’d wanted to be saved.

“Sometimes, Excellency, a statement is so terrible that only the threat of death can stop you laughing.” Captain relayed, turning to lean his back on the rail “Your cousin started it. From there I believe it was a game of one-upmanship.”

De Sardet hummed “Of course. Just a silly exchange Constantin. Have you need of me?”

The blonde blinked owlishly for a moment before something odd settled in his expression and honestly, De Sardet would pick that out later in private. Whatever was in his cousins head was either accurate, or a hilarious fiction that needed to be drowned in the nearest wash basin. “I always have need of you, my Dear Cousin!” Constantin said, years later- it seemed. “Kurt is demanding a full lesson today, he wants to see how our sword work is.”

“Ah.” De Sardet answered “I’ll fetch my rapier and meet you in a few minutes.”

Constantin nodded, raised a hand in farewell, nodded to the Captain, and beat a hasty retreat.

“Excellency is…Energetic.” Captain murmured, seemingly to himself, had he not tilted his head back and sideways, distracting De Sardet horribly with the desire to lick the apple of his throat yet unable to stare as light gold eyes settled on him again “How similar are you and your cousin, if that isn’t to bold?”

His brow furrowed in confusion. “Ah, well. I think we are similar in some ways.” De Sardet replied “I’ve always been a bit more even keeled. Though Constantin is definitely the better choice for Governor.” 

Captain hummed, standing straight and lifting his head, one hand coming up to shift his tricorn into place over sun bleached brown hair the color of driftwood in sun- and De Sardet was definitely staring again. “Well, off you your lesson, your Excellency.” he said, gold glinting in the corner of his eye telling De Sardet he was being observed yet “We can chat later, if the weather holds.” And he tracked off.

De Sardet took a moment to glance around before swallowing thickly, and turning to rush to his rooms for his sword. The itch a warm pulse in his stomach that seemed stronger, if anything, after a short conversation. 

Constantin disarmed him twice, Kurt asked if he was sick, and De Sardet made a mental note to be more on guard around his two closest friends. If they caught on he’d receive no peace. The look in Constantin’s eyes indicated he was already in for an earful as they walked out of the training area.

However, Constantin didn’t speak until they were scrubbing down in lukewarm boiled water , hair wet from soap and water they’d already used. Nauts were particular about hygiene, and their boats, sorry, ships, reflected that. It had even been in the briefing, some version of ‘take a damned bath every few days at the least, get one person sick and the rest of us will never escape it.’ It suited De Sardet and Constantin, nobility despite their oddness, just fine. 

“So, I definitely interrupted.” Constantin led with “And I feel awful.”

De Sardet poured some water through his hair to clear some soap he’d missed before grabbing a cloth to continue his body “Interrupted what?”

“Your…Your cute little…Captain… flirting thing, Dear Cousin.”

“I was not flirting, I don’t flirt.”

Constantin made a small wounded noise “You do! And I wish you any happiness, Cousin. I know that the years have not been kind to you, and I’m not so blind as to not realize it’s due to your diplomatic duties, tied directly to me.”

“It’s absolutely not your fault that every nobleman I’ve lain with has evidently been practicing on wayward goats.”

Constantin sputtered and nearly upended the basin, leaning on the table for support as his narrow shoulders shook with mirth. “Cousin, how uncharitable!”

“What’s uncharitable is their complete inability to-”

“No! No more!”

De Sardet’s face ached with his smile. Constantin was his best friend. They knew most everything about each other and any boundaries they may have been expected to have had long since disintegrated.

They finished washing in peace, and moved to stow the soiled cloth for washing. 

“So you should definitely bed the Captain.” Constantin said nonchalantly as they threw the cloths in a bin.

De Sardet sputtered “Uh. Why?” It was unfair that Constantin knew how to wrong foot him. And unfair that De Sardet refused to mistrust him enough to put a stop to it.

“Well, have you seen him?” Constantin mockingly fanned himself “Strong, handsome, eyes that look like gold, those tattoos curving about his jaw…”

“Are you trying to convince me, or you, to do this?”

“I’m told using descriptive words is a boon to persuasive conversation.” Constantin rattled off “Looking like him, he’s probably got a leg up on Lord Whoevers’ third son the goat herder you tried last.” 

De Sardet glared.

“I’m going to room with Kurt. Convince him to teach me military strategy. Don’t let me die in vain.” The young Governor sighed dramatically. “My room is empty, no neighbors, clear skies, sexy sailor…”

“Oh get bent.”

“You first.”

They both rolled their eyes and laughed. Redressing and exiting for dinner. Near the mess, Constantin noticed Captain approaching from a different direction and alerted De Sardet via a sharp elbow to the ribs, making him wheeze. As De Sardet doubled over, Constantin blurted out the most insincere “Oh dear, hope you’re alright, Dear Cousin!” he’d ever heard, and bolted the rest of the way to the mess. Likely to snag a plate and a spot that didn’t rock with the waves. He’d been trading increasingly bizarre stories with Flavia for days.

His abandonment left De Sardet to wheeze helplessly with his arms curled over his abdomen for a few moments.

A hand closed around his elbow and pulled him upright. “Is your cousin always so…”

“Spontaneous?” De Sardet wheezed.

“Obvious.” Captain suggested instead.

De Sardet coughed. “Obvious?”

Captain moved oddly for a moment, shifting weight from one leg to the other, hand releasing his arm which he had held for far too long. “Forgive me if I was rude.” He said, sounding sincere “He looked at me, looked at you, then dropped you in the way and left, I…assumed. It doesn’t matter, my apologies, Excellency.”

The Captain was retreating and De Sardet was aware if he backed all the way off, the option wouldn’t be extended again. “He is quite obvious, yes.” De Sardet admitted, finally making eye contact with the Captain. “He means well, of course, but if this makes you uncomfortable…”

Captain hesitated, then jerked his head to the side. “Your quarters. Less likely to have all and sundry walking in looking for me.”

“You speak as though this is an experience you’ve had.”

“More times than I care to admit.” Captain said, reaching up to brace himself on the ceiling as they descended as a choppy wave rocked the ship a bit more than expected. He froze for a moment, feeling the ships movements, as De Sardet reached the bottom.

“Bad time?” De Sardet questioned lightly, smiling when Captain shook his head. 

“I’ll keep a watch on it.” The Naut grumbled “Someone will find me if needed. Just-”

“Less quickly than the Captains quarters, Captain?”

Captain huffed a laugh “Yes, enough time to put something on at least.”

“That’s been a problem?”

The Captain glanced to the side, noting where they were, before grabbing a fistfull of De Sardets shirt and shoving him into the wall next to his own door. “A few things made clear.” he started “I assure you, I have more experience than you, and my ship and crew come first. This changes nothing.”

The itch flared hot and bright “Understood Captain, I expected no less.” He hadn’t. Just…perhaps friendship. He was certainly interested in the lovely Captain but he hardly expected mutual interest to mean special treatment. 

“Vasco.”

“Pardon?”

The Captains fist leveled out to a broad, strong hand stroking his chest, the Captain stepped forward between his legs, pressing them together, one strong thigh slipping between De Sardets own and the Legate unconsciously rocked forward on it. 

“My name. Use it.”

“Okay.”

Vasco’s face was next to his, hot breath brushing over De Sardet’s lips as he breathed.

“Well?”

“Well what?” De Sardet asked, breath fast and body coming to life just being close to him. ‘Please oh please oh please don’t disappoint me.’  
“My name?”

“Oh. Vasco.” 

De Sardet made an unintelligible noise as Vasco closed the distance, warm lips pressing to his several times, the pressure pleasing. Vasco’s free hand came up to grip De Sardet’s chin, squeezing and shocking De Sardet into gasping. A warm soft tongue slipped into the Legates mouth, ebbing and flowing with the kiss and De Sardet briefly wondered if everything about the other man had to be a reflection of the sea.

Vasco was a very good kisser. De Sardet noticed, breath leaking out infrequently in the desperate crush of their mouths. Vasco released his chin, passing down his chest to meet his other hand as they both slid lower until the young Captain had snagged one of De Sardet’s thighs and lifted it to rest on Vasco’s hip, then rolled into the space between.

De Sardet gasped.

“Good?”

“Gods above yes.” He’d never been this excited with another. 

Vasco pulled away and tilted his head to nip down De Sardets neck. “So if I push you into your room, lay you down, and treat you to a tiff, that’s agreeable?”

“Preferably a bit more effort than a tiff.”

Vasco straightened and pressed another searing kiss to the Legates mouth. “A proper bedding it is.”

De Sardet reached out, one hand in Vasco’s collar, holding them together as the kisses got wetter and more sloppy and the firm thigh between De Sardet’s legs became unbearable, the other fumbling for the door, eventually succeeding. Vasco stepped back and De Sardet whimpered until the other man jerked him into the room by a wrist, kicking the door shut and immediately slipping his hands under the Legate’s shirt, tearing it over his head and diving in to kiss and bite at well defined collar bones.

De Sardet ripped the Tricorn from the Captains head and tossed to to the side, fingers already unbinding his hair, barely succeeding before the Captain fell to his knees with a heavy thud, mouth sealing above his navel and pressing hot open mouthed kisses there, before slipping down and dipping his tongue inside the navel as his hands tore at the laces holding De Sardets breeches on. 

De Sardet felt his thighs tremble. The passion itself seemed to elevate this above his past attempts, he felt a calloused hand grab his and shove it roughly into light brown hair as the Naut slipped his mouth delicately over the head of De Sardets cock and began to bob. De Sardet gasped and his hips twitched, he looked down to see golden eyes looking up in amusement. The moment they made eye contact, Vasco hollowed his cheeks and De Sardet felt as if his spine had been struck by lightening. 

After a few moments of De Sardet struggling to stay standing as the Captain laved him with the same silky tongue that had brushed his own just moments before, Vasco stood, swiping his forarm over his mouth and reaching in to kiss a very winded De Sardet.

The kiss was a bit more bitter and De Sardet blushed, the act definitely too crass for his past lovers but seemingly exactly what he needed. The ship lurched again, and the pair found themselves wincing as they knocked into the bedframe and fell.

“Pants off, Excellency.” Vasco breathed, standing up and tearing his shirt over his head as De Sardet frantically kicked his open breaches and the undergarments Vasco had simply jerked down, he stopped for a moment to fight with his boots and when he looked up he couldn’t help wrapping an arm around the lean curve of Vascos’ back to bring him in and press hot kisses to his ribcage. Tinting his head and flickering his tongue up to flicker at a nipple, surprised at cold metal. He opened his eyes to see the Captain, staring down in amusement, pupils wide, and two small glittering golden bars on his chest. De Sardet whimpered.

“Like that?” Vasco purred, shoving him back down and crawling on the bed. “Not the only places I’ve got gold, I assure you.” 

A quick glance revealed a ring between Vasco’s legs, pierced through the softest part of his cock and smeared a little by leaking tip.

De Sardet hesitantly reached down “I…Shall I? Like you did me?”

“Nay, Excellency. I don’t need your pretty mouth. Not tonight.” He sounded almost fond, which made De Sardet’s heart flutter even as his cock twitched. Another wave rocked the boat and Vasco froze as De Sardet scrabbled, half pinned for the vial of oil, finding it snatched from his hand and Vasco’s mouth crushed to his ear, hissing “Afraid tonight may be a tiff, Tempest. Storm’s rolling in.” 

A bit far gone to truly comprehend the words, De Sardet nodded and reached up to grip the back of Vasco’s neck, pulling him down for another kiss. “’s fine.” He gasped against the other mouth “I just need…” 

“I’ve got you.” Vasco said, a finger slipping inside the Legate even as the Captain sucked on the Legates tongue. “So tight.”

De Sardets chest and abdomen heaved with each breath, shaky and sweaty and far more turned on than ever before. “Is that okay, with the ring?” He panted, thighs twitching as the Captain ruthlessly added another finger. 

“Swear if it hurts you’ll tell me.” The Captain answered. “Then, you’re such a responsive thing, I’d probably notice. Ready?”

“Devil in hell, yes!” 

Vasco’s laugh was musical, one hand cupping De Sardets lower back, which the man himself arched to help, the other holding himself steady as he slid inside. 

De Sardet squirmed, hot hand holding him in place, but still overwhelmed. Vasco was far different feeling from his past attempts. Generous in size, and the golden ring making his own hips stutter.

When the Captain was fully inside he leaned forward, making De Sardet bend and sparks to dance through his body, trembling as Vasco kissed him again,

“Ready?” 

“Oh please yes.”

The itch was sated with each hard thrust deep inside him, hips tilted, legs up and out of the way, a firm hand in De Sardet’s hair to wrench his head back as Vasco picked up speed. After a moment De Sardet surrendered and let himself rock back into the determined thrusts. 

“What do you need?”

Without thinking De Sardet arched his back as high as it would go. “Harder, by the gods.”

Vasco slipped both hands to the mans waist. “Alright, hold on.” He murmured, De Sardet felt his body flush, and cried out when the man started to piston in and out harder. Hands holding his hips steady “Look at you.” He purred leaning down to nip beneath De Sardets ear as he pulled him back mercilessly onto his cock over and over again. "Yes, look at you."

And just then the ship gave an almighty lurch, anything not nailed down flying to the wall the headboard rested on, gravity sliding the men in bed impossibly closer together. When they rocked back down. Vasco buried his face next to De Sardets in the pillow and chuckled. “I have to go.”

De Sardet whined as the other man pulled out and stood, still standing proud, the ring glistening.

Vasco pulled on his clothing rapidly, De Sardet could hear others calling for the Captain above deck. He watched in amusement as Vasco tied his breeches over his still evident arousal. “I’ll try to be back tonight.” Vaso said, eyes roaming the still nude and aroused De Sardet, “You deserve at least what you were looking for.”

After a moments hesitation, Vasco strode from the room, and shut the door. 

De Sardet laid back on the bed, relaxing and cooling in the oncoming storm. The door flew open and for one blistering moment De Sardet feared it was Kurt. But no, Vasco, determined and sharp had reentered, leaned down and pressed a bruising kiss to his mouth, their tongues tangling for a moment.

“That moment, when the sea tossed the ship and everything went flying?” Vaso said, out of breath as he pulled back “We are going to have to do that again.” He pressed another almost violent kiss to the mans mouth and swept out once more.

De Sardet trembled, and couldn’t find it in his heart to be too irritated. Despite being unable to complete what they started, Vasco had been nothing like a disappointment.


	2. Storm of a Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vasco returns, the boys joke, De Sardet gets absolutely railed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to icefireSpirit_Wolf for the closing line because SOMEONE likes to send me goofy shit at work where she can ruin my street cred as the local goth.
> 
> And JayRain for chatting with me about Vasco and Dorian, two of my favorite people.
> 
> Anyway, this is smut, I'm out of practice, and we aren't done. So enjoy the sinbin my good dudes.

Vasco did not return for several hours. 

The storm raged and wailed, tossing the ship to and fro, several times, holding on to anything that wasn’t sliding, De Sardet saw the porthole that doubled as his window submerge. The floor was wet from the first time the moveable glass had given way. De Sardet regularly forgot to latch the thing and now he was drenched to show it. However he was able to lock an seal it before the next bout.

He could hear the Nauts on deck, yelling, calling out names, a few shrieks, and oddly, laughter, in short bursts.

At one point he heard a high, feminine cry of “Captain!” which caused De Sardet’s heart to skip, if the man died in a freak storm they were all so incredibly dead, but it was followed by laughter so he imagined Vasco wasn’t dead.

By the time the ship began rocking rather than flinging itself side to side, De Sardet’s fingers and arms were sore, his legs ached, and he’d banged an ankle on something hard. Reconciling that Vasco was likely not returning, he stripped back out of the clothes he’d put on in case something, anything, needed to be done, and flopped into bed again. 

The moon was still visible, and as he drifted off he could see sheets of water on his floor rolling over the wood, splashing under the door, said a silent thanks for not drenching his bed, and slipped into sleep.

He didn’t know how long he had actually slept when he woke to the door opening and a huff of laughter from across the room. 

“No need to sit up.” Vasco’s voice sounded, “I’m just checking on everyone, saved you for last.”

Still dazed with sleep, De Sardet patted the mattress twice in invitation, eliciting a real laugh. Just a chuckle under the Captains breath, but more than displaced air. 

“Oh you don’t want that. Trust me.” 

“I absolutely want that.” De Sardet returned, blinking hard and levering himself up with his arms. “Are you alright?”

De Sardet could hear him approaching through the last few puddles on the floor. “This…should dry itself out soon.” Vasco assured, pausing briefly then continuing in. De Sardet could hear his boots sloshing as well and smiled.

“You should take those off. Avoid…trenchfoot, or whatever it is.”

“I have to walk back up.” Vasco said easily “I’m not getting these bastards off and on more than once.” 

It was De Sardet’s turn to laugh. He swung his feet over the side of the bed and finally looked at the man head on, and wow.

Vasco must have expected the response, as he spread his arms out, and spun in a slow circle. “I’m a right mess, but you’ll be happy to know my coat was closed when I checked on everyone else.”

“I don’t know.” De Sardet said cautiously, standing up and only barely registering the wet, cold floor “I feel like this should be mandatory viewing.” He stepped closer, and slowly, watching Vasco’s water streaked visage, raised his hands to the mans shoulders and slid them into the open front of the jacket. He pushed until the garment fell to the floor with a wet plop and stepped back to inspect what was left. “Take your hat off.” He requested “I think I need the full view.”

Smile close lipped and not without humor, Vasco complied, gripping his tricorn and sweeping into a bow “As His Excellency commands.” 

“Please let me have a look at you before you say things like that.” De Sardet teased, stepping out of the way of the porthole to look at the Captain.

Hair soaked and plastered to his head, even while wearing his tricorn, loose strands darkened by water and night stuck to his throat. The billowy linen shirt worn beneath his jacket was transparent and similarly stuck to anything it could stick too, swirling lines of ink visible through the shirt clear down to drenched breeches. Now tight in an uncomfortable looking way as wet as the rest. Vasco’s skin itself glittered with a watery sheen, drenched as the rest of him.

“Why? Prefer me kneeling when I use your title?”

“What? No I- you're talking about sex.” 

Vasco reached out to brush damp fingers over the mark on De Sardet’s face, not looking at it, just…touching his face. And that was probably what did it for him.

The shirt was wet and tight beneath his fingers as he tried to peel it up. Vasco jumping in last minute and joining the struggle. It took both of them to get him out of the breeches, stalled by his soggy boots in the end, De Sardet shoved him backwards and Vasco went, charming laughter ringing like bells as he righted himself. “Your bed is going to be sopping, De Sardet.” He chided, smile smug “I’m wet as a sea lion fishing.” 

De Sardet knelt on the floor, unlacing each boot and wrenching them off, slipping drenched socks afterwards “Is this the part where I suck on your toes or some such oddity?”

“If you want to do anything to my feet after a full day on them and being pickled in seawater, we can’t be friends.” Vasco shot back “At least let me take a bath, Excellency.” 

“I think you already did.” De Sardet said, shoving Vasco the rest of the way down into the bed and moving to straddle him. “I feel like I was warned about sleeping with sirens.”

They paused there, both bare, stupid smiles on their faces. 

“Oh aye, thankfully, I’m not actually one myself, I’m just wet like a fish. My singing voice lures people away from me.” 

A choked surprised laugh passed De Sardet as he braced his hands on either side of Vasco and leaned forward to lap at a brown nipple, gold wet and cold under his tongue. “I’m sure it’s fine.”

Fingers threaded in De Sardet’s hair, holding his head to the other mans chest. Taking his cue, De Sardet began to nip and suck, his other hand fiddling with the other sides piercing as he felt the gold ring of Vasco’s cock brush his inner thigh as it woke. 

“Oh I won’t make your ears bleed but I’ve a ways to go before I gain my tail.” He tightened his hold on De Sardet for a moment before bucking and rolling, forcing the Legate beneath him and wrenching him up into a passionate kiss.

“Blast, you’re freezing!” De Sardet gasped breaking away but still allowing Vasco to shuffle between his legs and arrange him however he pleased. He placed his hands on the Captains chest, feeling the strong heartbeat beneath chilled, wet skin. “And…Incredibly wet.”

“I’ve warned you no fewer than three times.” Vasco chided, grinding his hips down and making De Sardet blush, reminder that this had felt incredibly good received. “Shall we pick up where we left off? I’m not one for leaving things half finished.” 

“Please.” De Sardet answered “I’m quite eager to see how it ends.”

A warm, calloused hand snaked between the tangle of their legs and squeezed De Sardet’s straining cock. “It ends with this.” Vasco murmured head inclined slightly, letting water drip from his hair onto De Sardet’s skin, the other man squirming away from the cold even as Vasco’s smile grew. “Painting your belly, and a good night sleep.”

“You took your boots off.” De Sardet said, teasing to hide the thick swallow of nerves, even as their encounter lightened, became friendly and playful instead of desperate. “You’re stuck here for the night.”

“So I am.” Vasco said, something warm under his usual tone as he leaned in for another kiss, pressing De, Sardet back into his pillows and stroked large hands up his sides to his ribs and back while their tongues tied. “C’mon, lad, no need to hold still.” Vasco panted into his mouth as they stopped for air, diving back in a moment later and making De Sardet whimper.

He brought one hand up into the wet tangle of hair to cradle Vasco’s head, and hooked another behind the Captains arm, at the shoulder. He took a sharp breath as he rolled his hips up, feeling the golden ring brush his own tip like a sympathetic piercing as he rocked them together.

“Mmm.” Vasco hummed, gold eyes darkened to honey as they cracked open and he rocked down “Good start.”

De Sardet huffed, turning his head and licking back into the Captains mouth. He closed his thighs around the other man and began to shift rocking his hips up as Vasco rocked down, cock burning and full. He broke away “Apologies, I need you to-” He was cut off by another bruising kiss as Vasco shoved a hand into the covers and returned with the bottle of oil they’d had before. They both paused and turned their heads, lips swollen and wet, to stare at the improbable item, before both cracking up like idiots for a moment.

“I’m pretty sure your trunk is under this bed, but the oil didn’t move.” Vasco breathed between soft huffs of mirth, directly into De Sardet’s ear, lips brushing the shell with each word.

“The ocean decided to bathe, anoint, and aid you.” 

“Hmm, anoint, you think this water is sacred then?”

De Sardet laughed, snatching the bottle and opening it for the Captain, whose wet hands didn’t like the cap overmuch. “A Naut, covered in saltwater stumbles below deck to bed me like some benevolent sea spirit? Sure, anoint.” he teased, words cutting out as the Captain slid two fingers back inside of him, scissoring with brutal efficiency. “Storms become you, Captain.”

“Storms, godhood, and your kind regard.” Vasco murmured “If we ever meet near a priest, we’ll need to play up the second one.”

De Sardet felt a brief flash of sadness, remembering there was only a short time left with his Captain, and my, his captain, the possession had come on strong. But it was gone soon, Vasco wasn’t his, though he let himself be borrowed for a time or two. Hopefully more. And De Sardet was happy to hold the lightening in a bottle that was the Captain of the Sea-Horse for as long as he was permitted. “Throw a window open, get burned by the Ordo Luminis for worshiping a false idol. Sounds like an ideal after work meal.” De Sardet gasped out, the Captains cock and the damnable ring sliding back into him. “Mm, pick up the pace?”

“Spoiled.” Vasco huffed, one strong arm slipping beneath De Sardet’s back “I’ll give you fast.” 

The Legate smiled and tipped his head back before his eyes snapped open at a rough pull. “Wh- Vasco?” 

“You said fast, Tempest.”

De Sardet bit his lower lip and turned away from the Captain, drawing his thighs up to grip tighter as he was jostled, the bed nailed to the wall still rattling its foundations as the Captain jolted his hips brutally into De Sardet. He thought he’d miss the agonizing roll and careful pace, but this…any remaining itch was scattering to the winds as he felt himself squirm and cry out. Vasco regularly snagged whatever he could to return De Sardet to him, pressing hot kisses to his mouth, the side of his face, his chest and throat when he arched to far back to reach easily. A few times, Vasco wrenched his head back by his hair to suck forcefully on the apple of De Sardet’s throat,or to bite his thrumming pulse.

“Hm..Mm, ah, Captain?” De Sardet gasped, hips twisting on a nasty thrust, a soft space inside him thoroughly abused from varying angles “I need you to touch me.”

“Together then?” Vasco growled into his ear, and De Sardet felt a liquid heat pooling in him, eyes wet and chest heaving, he’d never felt so sensitive. Somehow his hands had been placed above his head, twisting in the blankets, not moving, whether by command or simple confusion in the middle of all the sensation. And One of Vasco’s hands moved from bruising De Sardet’s side with a firm grip to the sensitive cock, full and sticky in sweat, water and thick pre-spend.

When Vasco took him in hand again De Sardet jolted, a tense ball in his stomach releasing and the world going black for a moment. He felt Vasco stop moving a moment later in a haze. As he slowly returned to himself his throat felt raw, and his limbs heavy, head cloudy. Vasco rolled off him and for a moment they laid in silence, chests heaving, bodies wet and soiled with the same mix of cum, saltwater, and sweat. 

Vasco reached over the side of the bed and grabbed a waterskin, gracelessly dumping it over both of them and swabbing erratically with what looked like a shirt that had washed free of its place in the storm, pitched it across the room when done, and flopped back. “We’re going to need to make use of the washroom in the morn.” He said, gravel in his voice making his vowels rounder and the low growl in his voice hoarse. 

“I think you used my shirt as a rag.” De Sardet noticed absently.

“It was there and I’m…Done moving.”

De Sardet rolled over, aware of all the little aches from their romp, and the storm before and winced in sympathy for Vasco, who had doubtlessly worked himself ragged on deck, then returned to exert himself with De Sardet. “I don’t suppose heat would help?”

“I’ve no time to boil water.” Vasco sighed, eyes half mast “I’ll live.”

Struggling against his weak limbs, De Sardet lowered his arms and rolled, pressing a firm kiss to the rounded muscle of Vasco’s shoulder before laying his head on it. “I’m too tired to do much. But I’m warm.”

“That you are.” Vasco’s voice sounded leagues away, and De Sardet wasn’t sure if it was Vasco falling asleep, or himself falling asleep, but they both deserved it. 

Satisfaction curled lazy and warm in every part of De Sardet as he and Vasco worked to wrench a blanket over them both with tired eyes and sore limbs.

He watched golden eyes close, lips slightly parted and ink accentuating sharp, handsome features until Vasco truly did look like a god, hair half dry and curving slightly at the ends bringing a smile to De Sardet’s face. Vasco was silent in sleep like he himself was, and for a moment De Sardet took a moment to revel in just how perfect this was. Barring the storm and potential death, Vasco was everything he’d dreamed of needing. Perfect. Temporary, but all he’d need to know it was attainable. He felt a brief pang again at the thought of losing the lovely Captain, but smiled through it. One couldn’t bottle a cyclone. No matter how much he was starting to think he’d like to. 

“Oh, definitely not a goatfucker.”

Vasco’s eyes snapped open, all peaceful beauty lost “What?”

De Sardet huffed a laugh and snuggled down “I’ll explain in the morning.”


	3. Bottled Syrup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A an argument, a new experience, and reciprocated attachment. What can change in two months?
> 
> Everything. Y'all know the story. You know what happens. Why am I acting like I have mysterious plans we have played this game. I'm just telling it a lil different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna be real my dudes I was falling asleep AND listening to the Wendy's CritRole show so this is probably completely nonsensical?

De Sardet woke slow, and warm. He could hear Vasco’s breath, easy and soft above his head. A deceptively strong arm looped beneath him, holding him close, and almost certainly numb. 

“Enjoying our lie in?”

“I honestly didn’t expect you to still be here.” De Sardet responded, both of them keeping their voices low.

“I’ve trapped myself.” Vasco explained, arm around De Sardet tightening for a moment. “I may need a bone saw.”

Levering himself up the Legate looked down at his Captain, who…looked like he may have fought a man wielding a club. A smear of a bruise down the far side of his face confusing the tattoos lines and spattering down his neck and shoulder. De Sardet reached out and gingerly pulled the blanket away from the Captain eyes travelling down the bruised mess of his ribs and hip. “Or else you’re in too much pain to move.” He commented dryly, unable to help a tender touch to the worst of the mess, Vasco’s eyes briefly widening in barely concealed panic before visibly relaxing at the lack of pain. “I don’t poke bruises. Bad form.”

“And incredibly mean.” Vasco added “Perhaps the nest of gold you were raised in softened you more than the other noble brats.” His tone unreadable but upsetting all the same.

“Well. Interesting turn this morning has taken.” De Sardet responded coolly. “You’re welcome to limp back to your quarters, Captain. Or I can leave, it is your boat.”

Vasco flinched “Nobility makes me nervous, I’m sorry if I was rude.”

“Nobility makes you mean, I believe you meant.” De Sardet corrected, clipped. 

“That too.”

De Sardet leaned back looking at the room instead of the Captain “Well, the floor isn’t dry, nor are your clothes so you’re going to have to get creative.”

Vasco sighed “It won’t be the first time. May need help getting into my own breeches if you’re willing to be accommodating.” 

“Of course, Captain.”

With a pained noise that De Sardet wasn’t sure was related to his bruised ribs or the sudden distance between them, Vasco heaved himself into a sitting position, his hair tangled from drying flat and De Sardet’s gripping fingers. “We discussed my name, De Sardet.”

De Sardet smiled despite the lingering sting of insult “Don’t be cute, I’m rightfully irritated.”

A hand on his chest forced him back to the mattress, Vasco rolling on top of him but braced by knees and hands, their bodies not touching. “You’ve every right to take offense at my rudeness.” Vasco said, leaning down to brush their lips together “But know if I didn’t feel like I’d been hit by a tree, I’d have you again, whatever my fool mouth says.” 

“Your fool mouth is kinder than your smart one.” De Sardet sighed, pushing himself up with his elbows to kiss the Captain good morning. “We can try again?”

Vasco’s lips quirked “Aye. Good morning, De Sardet. How did you sleep?”

“Magnificently, if a little damp.” 

“I’m familiar with the sensation.” 

A moment passed in silence, De Sardet reaching up to trace Vasco’s handsome jaw. He brushed fingers over precise lines, gentling his touch to feather-light at the blackened corner of his mouth and the dusky skin blotting tattoos together. “What happened to you? I heard someone call out but you were walking fine, I didn’t think to-”

“I didn’t want you to notice.” Vasco interrupted “we had plans I hoped to keep, knew the pain wouldn’t set in till I slowed down.”

De Sardet felt his face warm “Plans you kept.”

“Largely.”

“I…Don’t..”

Vasco leaned in once more, an exhale of laughter against De Sardet’s lips “There’s so much more to do.” 

De Sardet’s hand snaked up to hold the back of the Captains head, tilting his chin to goad the man into a more playful kiss.

“Begging your pardon, Legate De Sardet.” Vasco murmured, still pinned between De Sardet’s face and his hand “But while my mind is willing, the rest of me is bruised.”

“I have…an idea. If you’re not busy?”

“I got knocked out of the rigging last night and rolled across deck. My First Mate told me to take the day on pain of death.” A slow grin crawled over his face, making De Sardet grin as well “I give them a few more hours before someone comes looking.”

“Excellent.” The Legate wormed a hand up to Vasco’s uninjured shoulder and pushed gently. The Captain raising his brow and rolling over so they laid side by side until De Sardet rolled to straddle his waist. “Okay, so, granted, I’m not the…best at this. But I know it can be done, but how to do it without harming you will require some help.”

“I have a few questions about everything you just said.” Vasco said, voice strained “But I’m willing to hold off on my curiosity for whatever you’re offering.”

De Sardet felt his cheeks heat a bit more as he shuffled, trying to find a place to rest his knees without pressing into the bruising on Vasco’s side. “Alright so I’ve never done…”

The same bottle from last night was held up. “I found this when I tried to move as I woke.” Vasco said “You may want to use some.”

Outside of the night, where De Sardet could be confident and the burning of his face was hidden, in the light the heat made him almost lightheaded as he fumbled with the bottle and poured a bit too much onto his hand, droplets falling to Vasco’s abdomen and sliding slowly to his sides, making the Captain wriggle slightly, gold piercing in his navel glinting as his stomach sucked in on itself. But Vasco remained silent, gaze intent and eyes narrowed in a way that made De Sardet burn along his thighs and blush harder as Vasco’s eyes flickered down to watch him rise. 

De Sardet felt fine tremors wrack his body as he carefully reached down, forgoing himself to touch Vasco with the excess oil. Dragging fingers from his base to the piercing at the head, biting his lip, and slipping a finger through the piercing, giving a soft tug. Vasco made a noise in the back of his throat and rolled his hips. De Sardet tugged again, easily moving the filling cock forward and back by the thick ring through the head of his partners cock, exiting out just beneath. Vasco sighed “Ah, De Sardet, I appreciate the handling but if you have anything else in mind I’d leave it be.”

“Does it feel that good?”

“It’s pretty grand.” Vasco sighed “All of them are.”

Balancing carefully the Legate reached back with one hand to carefully slip a finger into himself to work himself back open. The Captain’s mouth dropped open slightly, pupils dilating, body jerking as De Sardet’s other hand flicked the curved metal in his navel, rubbing at the small ball at one end as he rocked his hips into his own hand. He swayed dangerously a few times before removing his hand and smiling sheepishly “Sorry…off balance.”

“Hard to get your sea legs.” Vasco assured, eyes wide and voice distracted, red crawling to his cheeks when De Sardet instinctively looked down “That’s..mine, lad.” 

“O..oh I didn’t.” 

Unlike the night before in which their teasing and playfulness seemed natural and sweet, blood like honey in their veins and an undercurrent of desire guiding their steps, in the light, they were awkward. De Sardet bizarrely comfortable with a man he barely knew, Vasco feeling fond in a way he never was. 

Desperate to avoid more embarrassment De Sardet gripped Vasco firmly and slipped down brushing a nice spot in himself almost instantly, and sighing under his breath, eyelashes fluttering. “Ah, anything you like?” He questioned quickly, moving to roll his hips to get at the same spot.

“I like watching you do that.” Vasco murmured, a hand reaching to grip at a hip “Just do that.” The natural growl in his voice feeling deep in his chest and rougher than he was accustomed to. 

De Sardet looked away to the side and rolled his hips, slowly developing a rhythm. He leaned forward, bracing one hand on Vasco’s chest, one hand on the mattress, drinking in the hitched breathing of the Captain as they rolled together.

“De Sardet I recommend moving your arm.” Vasco breathed, eyes slits after a while. As De Sardet complied Vasco reached up to grip the Legates weeping cock, tugging a few times as white spilled over his knuckles. “You probably don’t even need this.” He murmured “You’re sensitive enough. You’ve heard that before I hope?” 

He hadn’t, the sparking pleasure in his thighs and spine and belly almost too sharp, his spent cock throbbing as a startled soblike gasp escaping as he felt the thick ring and Vasco’s own hardness still inside him. He felt Vasco’s hand squeeze his hip and his hips snap up as all the tension drained from the Captain again, a slow smile tugging at his mouth as he attempted to sit only to be pushed back so De Sardet could free himself. “That was…”

“Sweeter than the morning waves.” Vasco sighed, reaching a grasping hand out to pull De Sardet back to his mouth for a slow kiss, licking into his mouth until the Legate had to break for air. “Two months isn’t enough.”

“Bed me twice and already daydreaming. Best not to let anybody know you’ve such an addictive personality. I should take my own advice at that.”

Vasco snorted “Stay with me then. For two months.” he said “The usual offer, but all I have.”

“So you offer to let anybody you sleep with spend their nights with you? I’m unsure if I’m impressed or if I feel condescended to.”

“Yes, it’s only fair. And your feelings on it are yours, but know I’m not humoring you.” a pause “Two months is a long goodbye, Tempest. But it’s all we have.”

De Sardet tried to choke any fond feelings down. Romping with a partner, laughing and teasing, passion, the tenderness in their second coupling just now that definitely crossed a line. Two months. “May as well see where we may have gone.” He said instead “Then I’ll be a diplomat, and you’ll sail away.”

Vasco simply looked at him, taking in broad shoulders and hair like dark chocolate, clean shaven and sharp eyes the color of his own. A sweet ache formed somewhere in his chest and stomach, he’d been attached before but not so quickly. “You’re already a diplomat, I’m already sailing, but two months is a dream worth having.” 

De Sardet leaned down, pressing a warm kiss to Vasco’s head “Here’s to goodbye.”

The Captain tilted his head to nip at the Legate’s throat. “I’ve had bed partners, not lovers. Consider yourself blessed.”

“For two months.”

“Yes. And then a goodbye with all the sweet feelings locked up.”

“I’ll be sure to leave any syrupy feelings out of our goodbye, Vasco.”

The Captain sighed “But for now. We can be fools.”

De Sardet smiled, the sharp pang in his stomach warring with the lightness in his chest of confusing feelings reciprocated “Two months as lovers. A foolhardy idea if ever there was one.”

“Absolutely vile in its stupidity.”

“A terrible plan, truly.”

“Despicable.”

“Deplorable.”

“Abominable.”

“I adore your absolutely daft sense of humor.” De Sardet said, tone warm.

“Tell anybody and I’ll deny it.” Vasco quipped “But I adore your fool mind as well.”


	4. Without Guile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vasco and De Sardet begin their day.
> 
> Kurt and Constantin meddle immediately

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Less romance though w o w is it there? Just family feels with the cousins and their Master of Arms. They think this is a bad idea. De Sardet thinks this is a bad idea. Vasco thinks this is a bad idea. But LIKE HELL if they won't do it anyway like idiots.

Eventually they had to leave the room. Vasco cleared his throat as he put his tricorn back on.

“Do forgive my lack of…”

“Openness, mirth, smiling, kindne-”

“Yes those.” 

De Sardet smiled faintly “And my lack of boldness.”

Vasco’s eyes seemed warmer, the gold not molten or cold, just an expression De Sardet really enjoyed having directed at him. “Diplomats and Naut Captains aren’t known for their carefree lively personalities.”

“You laugh with your crew.”

“My crew is my family.”

“Oh…Damn. Family.”

A startled blink “The Prince?”

De Sardet nodded, finishing lacing his pants and tucking his shirt “He’s going to want to know everything.”

“So tell him? Unless you fear his ability to be discreet once you reach the Island?”

“I was just ensuring you wouldn’t mind.”

Vasco rolled his eyes, reaching out to tuck a loose collection of strands behind De Sardet’s ear. “I’ve never hidden bed partners from my crew, and I’m told sharing ill advised flings with friends is a bonding experience.” 

“You say the sweetest things about our bad decisions.” De Sardet chided without heat “Be kinder about our choices.”

Vasco blinked “I’ll be at best not scathing about my own bad decisions.” 

De Sardet shrugged, feeling giddy and fond even with the tenuous dread in his stomach. Wincing when movement made his shirt pull oddly. “I need…to bathe.”

The Naut pressed his lips together “I need to try and survive these ribs. Will you be needing an escort to the basin?”

“So I can guard your bad side? Of course Captain.”

“It’s Vasco.”

“Oh trust me I couldn’t forget if I tried. Repetition and all.”

The Captain huffed through his nose and pulled the door open, gesturing out. De Sardet slid by and stood in the hallway. The two continued down the hall without exchanging another word. De Sardet found it wasn’t uncomfortable. Vasco was just slightly taller than he, but he was also surprisingly lithe, all whipcord muscle and understated lines and sharp comely angles. He was unfairly pretty while being ungodly handsome and De Sardet would like a word with whatever god was responsible. 

He nodded at Vasco when they reached the bathing room, tugged to a stop by the softest grip on his free hand when he tried to enter. A bit surprised by the sudden grip he turned back to Vasco. The man looked…off. His eyes almost sorrowful, the rest of his face expressionless He saw his throat flex as he swallowed, nerves?

Vasco lifted his hand, held captive in only in the tips of Vasco’s fingers until he increased contact, curling fingers together and brushing De Sardet’s fingertips to his lips and gently lowering their joined hands as if De Sardet couldn’t be trusted to do so. And then he walked away.

De Sardet entered the room in a daze, face flushed and heart pounding. Over the last night the young Captain had done things to him that had changed the way De Sardet viewed laying with another, but a silent, confusing brush of lips to his hand is what made his heart hurt to beat. Feeling too large and too tender in his too small chest his heart beat bruises into his sternum. He twisted the barrel tap to fill the basins bottom and grabbed a clean rag, stripping down and preparing for a quick cold bath before heading to the mess to see if there was food.

The shirt swab of the night before had been enough to clear him mostly, but he still found himself scrubbing dried cum and salt from anywhere that a half asleep injured man couldn’t reach with a dress shirt. 

Once he felt less sticky, itchy, and vaguely embarrassed, he redressed and shoved his own tricorn on heading up to face Constantin and Kurt.

The sea was glassy as far as he could see, the occasional wave breaking the surface, in the distance a bird bolted underwater. It was as if the storm had rolled in for he and Vasco which was a confusing thought that refused to leave his mind. But despite any pain, stress, or inconvenience, De Sardet knew storms at sea would forever fill him with fear and a strange swelling emotion that felt like it couldn’t be contained in his own form. Somewhere between anticipation, pride, and an overwhelming tenderness that made his breath stop short and his eyes prickle as his heart gave a painful throb. He would have to thank whatever gods the Nauts gave patronage to a thank you for engendering such a reaction to the sea in him. It was overwhelming. And while Vasco was a part of it, the storm itself was beginning to stir vaguely heretical feelings in him. 

“Cousin!”

He had never even made it to the mess, distracted and staring over the sea like it was a revelation. “Ah, Constantin!”

The blonde approached quickly and immediately began patting him all over “Are you unharmed? The storm was so sudden, I’ve been sick with worry all night.”

“I’m hale, Constantin! How are you?” He looked around “And Kurt!” he cried as the Coin Guard walked up as well “You’re unhurt?”

“I’m a tough bastard, Green Blood, don’t be worrying about my hide.” Kurt’s smile tugged at his scars “But all the same, thanks for askin.”

“I’m fine as well.” Constantin rushed out. He blinked, wide eyes still relinquishing fear for his Dear Cousin. “Though I fear my machinations were for naught. Ha, Naut.” he frowned “I don’t mean to jest I simply…I was worried.”

De Sardet gripped his cousins smaller hand in both of his “Oh my Constantin, please put worry from your mind.” he pleaded “I hate seeing you unhappy. And honestly last night went off with only a slight hitch so all is well.”

Kurt blinked hard, both eyes closing at once “Well well, our baby Green Blood is a man now?”

“I was hardly a virgin before, Kurt.” De Sardet said, dropping Constantin’s hand.

“It don’t count if one half of a pair leaves without anything.”

“So is he a goatfucker?” Constantin burst out as De Sardet looked around deck trying to keep his personal life even slightly discreet. Discussing things with family and friends was one thing, but he would prefer not to personally inform the crew, that was Vasco’s domain.

“Oh absolutely not. Neither time.”

Kurt’s eyebrows vanished under his hat “I think we need drinks and an explanation.”

“It’s barely noon Kurt.” Constantin said waving the Coin Guard off. “We shouldn’t tease him so much.”

“Thank you cousin!” 

The Coin Guard snorted and clapped De Sardet on the shoulder “Well, is it going to be awkward for everyone for the next few months Green Blood?” He asked, humor in his eyes but his tone grave.

“I leave you for a few minutes to ask my First Mate a question, and you get cornered and forget to eat?” a low growl sounded to his left, and yes, that was Vasco, shoving a piece of bread in his hand and tilting his chin up for a kiss before breezing by “Don’t pass out on my deck De Sardet!” 

Vasco was there and gone like a storm. A quick glace saw him ripping a piece of dried meat held in hand with his teeth as he jogged to a crew member across the way.

“Cousin…” Constantin trailed off, looking like he was going to begin trembling any moment.

“We’ve ah…We’ve decided to hold the arrangement while at sea.”

“That’s such a terrible idea Green Blood.” Kurt chimed in “You may as well pitch your heart into the wake and develop a fascination with liquor, this is how brokenhearted harlots are made.”

De Sardet blinked at the typical bluntness “It’s a truly foul idea, but neither of us are going into this with any illusions it’ll last.” His smile may be slightly melancholy “Take what you can get though right? I’m hardly in love with the man, and even if I fall, I’ll hardly be the first to have my heart broken by a sailor.” He said dryly. 

Kurt’s nostrils flared as he settled back, weight on one leg and arms crossed over his chest. “He hurts you and he’ll hardly be the first Naut to be eaten by sharks.” 

“I knew you liked us.”

“Oh fuck your cute comments. This is what I get for babysitting nobility.” Kurt said with a scowl, still not walking away.

Constantin scoffed “Oh please Kurt, bad idea or no, De Sardet is grown and I trust him absolutely. I’m sure it’ll work out.”

Kurt rolled his eyes “If anybody can make something wholly unexpected happen, it is you, De Sardet.”

“I..I’m not trying to get him off his ship.” De Sardet explained “It’s just this. Two months, and a clean break.”

The Prince looked unconvinced “If you’re sure. I’ll support you, of course I will.”

Kurt shrugged “He looks like he got beaten half to death but I’m not blind. Go for it Green Blood.”

De Sardet honestly felt like crawling into a hole. His embarrassment at its peak. But, his family knew. They had gotten a bit more involved than he anticipated but he foresaw Kurt smuggling him a celebratory shot or seven and Constantin’s infectious enthusiasm in the near future. Embarrassing. But it made his still overly tender heart thud strongly in his chest with relief, he so despised keeping things from those he cared for.

He took a bite of the bread if only to hide his smile. 

At the bow, Vasco leaned out to sea, and smiled, content.


	5. End of a Blade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> De Sardet and Constantin train. De Sardet learns the value of blood and steel in a relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 0-0
> 
> My thinly veiled love for battle banging and blood/knife shit is alive and well in these boys. 
> 
> Anyway, gotta be up in like four hours. I hope the combat scenes were okay! I always make rolly-polly characters like, dodge but be gritty.
> 
> I've done 0 editing.
> 
> sorry
> 
> pls lov me

“And that hand is mine.” Constantin said easily, swiping the gold off the table while Kurt groaned.

“This is how you get kidnapped, Prince.”

De Sardet shrugged “Debtors or ne’er-do-wells, heavens forbid he land evenly between great and terrible.” He threw another coin in the center of the table. “Lets go again.”

Kurt rolled his eyes “One more hand, then it’s time to train.”

“You want us to train on a wet ship?” Constantin asked absently, shuffling the deck. 

“I’d make you two whelps spar on the moon if I could.”

“I draw the line at sparring while swimming.” De Sardet added, brow crinkling as Constantin dealt his hand “Are you cheating, Constantin?”

“Not today, why?”

“Because this hand is hilariously bad.”

“Why the fuck would you tell him that, Green Blood?”

De Sardet looked between the two and blinked “I’m not…taken with cards.” He said, seemingly for the millionth time “There’s never been a gain for me.”

Kurt scoffed “You can feint in a fight but heaven forbid you function with anything like deceit in fucking cards.” 

Flavia and Lauro wandered in at some point, sat for a quick meal and trotted back out on deck. Jonas appeared a time or two from the galley to ask if he could do anything to help.

As they began their last round he poked his head out again and De Sardet waved him over.

“Hello M’lord, can I help you with anything?”

De Sardet handed him his hand “Do slightly better than I will at this? If you’ve the time.”

Jonas nodded “One hand is okay.”

Predictably with De Sardet’s sorry hand they lost rapidly, the Legate tossing in an extra gold for the extra person, and handing yet another to Jonas. “And with that, I am done losing coin for the journey.”

Constantin snickered and swayed a bit, slightly green. But a deep breath and a moment saw him sweeping his winnings into his purse and touching his forehead in a mock salute. 

Kurt stood with a sigh. “Alright, you two dainties wait here and I’ll go…see where I can put you through your paces today.” He walked out of the mess, shaking his head as he went.

“You’re a thief, you know that?”

“It’s not my fault you can’t gamble your way out of a bucket with the only options being ‘up’ and ‘down’.”

“Cruel. Fair, but cruel.” De Sardet acknowledged “I’m surprised you got Kurt so badly.” 

“Honestly, it surprised me as well.”  
De Sardet hummed and traced a few of the scuffs in the table they sat at. Wondering if it was rough due to water warp, salt, spilled ale or anything else. His ankle ached a bit. He’d knocked it hard the night before and while he hadn’t checked it in the bath, he didn’t expect it to look different from the mottled red black mess of half Vasco’s ribs. 

“Everything alright, Cousin?” Constantin asked after a moment. Expression genuinely curious. 

“Everything is well. Just…drifting a bit.”

“Alright boys!” Kurt’s voice came through door before he even opened it. “Bow. Don’t embarrass me in front of the Sailors.” 

“The bow?” Constantin asked.

“Well, the front bit. The open bit. I’ve been told if we touch the ropes our fair Captain will run us up the mast by the throat with ‘em.”

“What is it with that man and the macabre?” Constantin queried, standing. “It’s like he’s waiting for an opportunity to terrify someone.”

De Sardet shrugged. “Could be.”

Kurt led them to the bow and gestured to the blunted weapons. “Alright, three rounds. Then we go. Disarm, parry, and dodge. No blood or you scrub it up.” He rattled off. “Give us a good show.” He hauled himself up onto a barrel. “And as we’ve discussed-” And undercurrent of severity “Don’t fucking embarrass me.”

Looking to his side De Sardet saw Constantin peering around at the Nauts who did little to disguise their watching. He snatched his blunted blade and trotted to the open area. “Well, come along cousin, we have an audience.” He turned and lifted his blade straight to De Sardet’s breast, perfect even from so many feet away. 

De Sardet grabbed his blade, flipped it a few times over his wrist as he walked and took up position across from his Cousin holding his arms akimbo, sword held limp and facing the ground. “Come at me, Constantin.”

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Flavia approach and lean next to Kurt. He could hear the clink of gold around him. 

Constantin dropped his firing pose and turned to hold the sword for use over challenge. “I’m no fool Cousin.” He took a step back “I come in as invited and you’ll have me on this deck in an instant.”

“Well. One of us has to attack.” De Sardet could feel his lips pull, the rapier, blunt as it was, in his hand felt like home. 

“You, then.” Constantin challenged.

“Fine.”

De Sardet approached sword swinging loosely by his side and Constantin grew visibly more tense as he approached. At the last moment, simultaneously Constantin parried as De Sardet lunged, metal on metal ringing across the ship and a few interested murmurs whispering about the bow. 

Constantin spun, lashing out to De Sardet’s wrist and the man danced back, saluting and swinging the blade back down before thrusting it up like a spike, sending Constantin dancing back to avoid being skewered through the lower jaw, defensive as De Sardet spun the blade around to a better grip and slashed horizontally. Constantin hit the rail and pushed forward, slashing directly at his cousins face. De Sardet side stepped and dropped his sword as the second sweep came for his wrist. He threw his hands up and stepped back.

Constantin bent, scooping up the blade and tossing it back, De Sardet catching by the hilt, turning it over with a flourish and pacing back.

“You got cocky, Green Blood!” Kurt shouted, “Your Highness, that was dirty, I’m proud!”

The murmurs were just talking now. The clink of coin stronger than before. 

“De Sardet takes round two.” One voice whispered 

“Oh like hell, the Prince’ll have him tripping over his own feet if they keep like this.” Another rebuffed.

De Sardet swallowed, and strafed to the side. ‘Don’t corner Constantin.’ he reminded himself ‘He’ll come at you like a beast.’ He flipped his sword with a flourish, keeping his wrist and arm loose.

Constantin grinned “Tsk tsk, Dear Cousin!” he taunted “First cards, now swordplay? Don’t tell me you’re slipp-ah!”

De Sardet darted in, lashing recklessly at his cousins unarmed side and then following the momentum, rolling to kick out his knee. 

Constantin hit the ground with a breathless “Oof!”

A sword tapped him on the nose. “Drop it.”

Flushing a little, Constantin dropped his blade.

“Don’t trade being cocky!” Kurt snarled “De Sardet, that was an excellent feint!”

Some laughter echoed among the Nauts, a few overt cries for bets on round three. The chime of gold on gold rattling both Constantin and De Sardet.

Bending down, De Sardet grabbed Constantin’s sword in hand with his own, and extended his free hand to pull his cousin up, letting it travel up his arm afterwards to clap his shoulder. “I had to get you for destroying me round one.”

Constantin grinned back at him, flushed and eyes flinty. “Well, I’ll have to make three a good round. Whoever wins fights Kurt, so it’s a win both ways, really.”

“About that.” A voice drawled from where Kurt was perched on his barrel. Captain Vasco leaning next to him in place of Flavia, attention flitting between the combatants and the Coin Guard. “Can’t say I don’t miss crossing blades.”

Kurt pursed his lips and tilted his chin up in thought. He visibly inspected the Captain before nodding and holding his hands up to the side “Be my guest.” he turned to De Sardet and Constantin “Winner takes on the Naut.” He looked back to Vasco, lifting a finger to point in the Captains face. “No guns. I’d rather not be beheaded in Port.”

Vasco grabbed the mans wrist to move his accusing finger out of his face. “I won’t kill your boys. Captain.” he said, smugness in his tone “Bruise em a little, but at least one of ‘em is of personal interest.”

“Urgh, you’re terrible. De Sardet, Constantin! Do me proud!”

Constantin and De Sardet moved at once, blades clashing and separating as they fought for the win. Constantin’s sword flashed a hairs breadth from the bridge of De Sardet’s nose and he leaned away from that and the followup. Constantin dropped and rolled to the side from a diagonal slash and hooked his ankle around De Sardet’s bad one, unbalancing him easily and leaving them both to scrabble to gain their footing. De Sardet rolled directly on top of his cousin, took the blade of his own sword into his hand and placed the weapon across his cousins throat like a saw. 

They sat in place, breathing heavily as De Sardet straddled his cousin before Constantin’s arms came up, a nearly deafening clang as he dropped his sword.

“Great follow through, Dear Cousin.” He panted shoving at the man.

“That was a great move.” De Sardet complimented “If I’d fallen to the side I’d have dropped my sword.”

Dull clapping echoed around them.

“Good show boys!” Kurt called “Constantin, get some water and come watch your cousin get smeared across the deck.”

The two climbed to their feet, inspecting their weapons before nodding an separating.

“Only problem.” Vasco called, turning to Kurt and backing toward De Sardet with his hands raised as if in surrender. “I don’t keep blunted weapons.” 

The Nauts began to rumble again, coins clinking faster as De Sardet watched Kurt’s eyebrows raise. “Well, Green Blood, how do you feel about live steel?” 

De Sardet rolled his shoulders. “Don’t kill me and it’s fine.”

A cutlass was tossed over and Vasco caught it by the hilt, a spin and a few singing flips over his wrist as he walked to the bow, feet perfectly in front of each other and body balanced, swaying with the ship like water.

“Green Blood!” Kurt called, throwing his usual sword. Jonas grinning beside him, having seemingly run to collect the blade.

Lauro clapped him on the shoulder. Constantin appeared again, eyes wide, brow still damp.

De Sardet took a moment to familiarize himself with the new weight and nearly dropped his own sword as Vasco’s appeared next to his face, De Sardet throwing himself out of the way and rolling, ending on his feet and already dodging again.

“To surrender.” Vasco growled, bolting directly into De Sardet’s space, a smirk carved into his face “I’m even using a cutlass. Had it been my usual, you’d be done.”

A ring of metal as De Sardet gracelessly knocked the cutlass away and slid out of the trap he’d nearly been caught in. The one he’d gotten Constantin into for round one. “What’s your usual?”

“We favor the same weapon.” Vasco said easily, lashing out at De Sardet’s midsection and making him jump back, dropping and spinning around to avoid the followup. Vasco spun as he stood and De Sardet bolted even as heat bloomed on the side of his face.

De Sardet felt the blood trickle down his face, and licked his lips when it hit the corner of his mouth. Golden eyes tracked the bleedings progression. 

“Yield?”

“Oh absolutely not.”

Vasco’s mouth curled into something like a predatory grin “Oh I like you.” And they were back at it.

The issue with Vasco, De Sardet thought, near frantically. Is that he moved like he was an Alliance dancer. He didn’t roll and parry like De Sardet, Vasco’s footwork was perfect. He moved so unfairly gracefully De Sardet was hard pressed to judge the exact speed he was moving at. Fast, was all he had. The man spun and used his momentum, if he found an obstacle, he jumped off it and went for De Sardet’s head. If De Sardet swung low, he dodged by jumping. If De Sardet left an opening he found himself with his arms full of wild Captain too close to strike at and nearly shoved off balance. Then he had to execute any number of uncomfortable manoeuvre to avoid being run through from a stab through his ribs on the side, Vasco’s arm and cutlass held at the right angle.

De Sardet knew exactly what he meant to do because he’d been slow and now that was a new injury, thankfully he’d dodged quickly. Even quicker after that. 

Once he’d grabbed the man, who had promptly locked long legs around his waist, leaned back, wrenched his hips to the side and sent De Sardet spinning to the ground. Vasco had promptly spun up to his feet and charged back in, brutal as anything De Sardet had ever seen. 

Once or twice he remembered the bruising along the Captains side, both in vague concern at the exertion, and a thought that he could use it. 

He sucked in his stomach and jumped back again. 

“Are you going easy on me lad?” Vasco taunted “Worried I’m too hurt?” his voice twisted in mockery and regretfully every bit as attractive as usual. 

“Would you like me to punch you in the ribs?” De Sardet asked dryly, batting a swing of the cutlass out of the way. He stepped back then thrust, Vasco forced to execute a fluid dodge, blood beading on the side of his neck. 

“Oh I’d love to watch you try, Tempest.”

De Sardet spent a moment hoping Vasco was every bit as turned on as he was. The reaction unhelpful and inappropriate and oh by any god who would listen he wanted those legs around him while he licked the crimson from his neck. 

“I’ll do far more than try.”

Vasco hummed, cutlass falling limp as he reached his free hand up to cradle his own chin in thought. “Winner gets…a suggestion?”

“A suggestion?” De Sardet asked, taking the reprieve to catch his breath.

“A suggestion.” Vasco said, smile personal and slow and kindling the spark in De Sardet’s belly into a fire. “Not a hard win, but…I think we both need to discuss…”

“So you want me to punch you in the ribs for something so frivolous?”

Vasco threw his head back and laughed, cruel and beautiful and so full of mirth that when he made eye contact again his golden eyes were glistening. “Oh no, love.” He growled, advancing rapidly as De Sardet frantically threw his rapier up to parry, struggling to hold off the hard press of the cutlass as Vasco tried to overwhelm him with the strength in his arms and any weight he had. “I want you to punch me in the ribs” He hissed, their faces a hands width apart like the lead-up to a macabre kiss “to try and win.” Vasco threw him back, hair coming out of its tie, eyes alight with fire. “Come at me De Sardet!”  
He absolutely wasn’t going to win this.

He knew that. But he could at least give Vasco the brutal end he wanted.

De Sardet bolted at him and hurled his sword to the side. Confused Vasco followed the rapier with his eyes and then caught De Sardet’s shoulder blocking the worst of the punch to his tender ribs, wincing even as he dealt a savage kick to De Sardet’s bad ankle.

The Legate didn’t wobble, he fell into a half sprawled kneel immediately, trying to reorient himself as he felt cold metal caress the blade of his jaw. 

He swallowed, feeling the point of the cutlass at his throat, pressure forcing his chin up. Long legs, a cut under one knee through the breeches, trim waist, torso that had been pressed to his. A long fingered clever hand wrapped tight around the golden hilt of the cutlass. The red streak on a lovely neck, and an exhilarated smile, and eyes like burning honey. 

“Yield.” Vasco purred, voice dark and really. With the bright silver of the cutlass at his throat, tilting his head up, and when the victor looked and sounded like that? De Sardet was a simple man, what was he to do other than obey?

“I yield.” He panted.

“Hm?” Vasco hummed, sword pushing a little “Can’t hear you, love.”

“Yield!” De Sardet called, voice firm as it felt like the rest of him shook.

The ship went wild. Laughter, coins, applause. But all De Sardet saw was the man above him. Vasco removed the sword and helped him to his feet, pulling him close, a fallen sword hilt shoved into his hand.

“My cabin, say your goodbyes.” he growled into De Sardet’s ear.

De Sardet nodded and staggered back drunkenly and making his way back to Kurt and Constantin.

His cousin, wide eyed and flushed reached out, making a grabbing motion before snatching De Sardet’s rapier.

Kurt cleared his throat. “So.” He hesitated “We’re done, good fight.” He clapped him on the shoulder. “Pretty sure people twenty paces off shouldn’t feel the sexual tension, Green Blood.” He squeezed the shoulder as De Sardet, brain moving slowly, tried to object. “Wash your face unless you’re into that.” And he stepped back.

Constantin nodded rapidly “It really was an excellent fight! Ah, enjoy your afternoon?” 

“Flavia!” Vasco shouted off to the side “Deck is yours, my injuries need tending!”

“Aye, Cap’n!”

De Sardet decided to forgo feeling embarrassment and skip directly to feeling lucky as all hell, and made his way to the Captains Quarters. Vasco’s soft steps scuffing along the floor behind him.


	6. Blood and Soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vasco and De Sardet unknowingly trade firsts, and get progressively more worried about how one day is already making two months look like a cruelly short time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest chapter and its just fuckin porn. 
> 
> Also I have a ship/fic playlist for this fic now if anybody is interested? It's hilarious, with the added plot I forgot this is entirely ship. Or...boat.
> 
> So It's just a De Sardet/Vasco playlist.
> 
> Anyway, here's a helping of bottom!Vasco and some bloodplay? I have problems but I refuse to address them. Enjoy the sinbin my buds. 
> 
> Lemme know how it is? I uh...Look I edit 0%

The Stern of the ship seemed a long walk, but the whispers hadn’t quite reached this far yet, and De Sardet managed to enter the Captains Quarters without much fuss.

The Captain behind him, a hand firm on his lower back probably helped matters. A Sailor had turned to ask a question as Vasco walked by, and had been confronted with the sight of De Sardet and the Captain, beat to hell and back, and unwilling to make small talk. The Sailor had ducked his head down and near scurried away.

The door shut firmly and for a moment, the room was filled with the sound of slightly labored breathing.

The rooms were very nice. A functional bed, a gleaming desk, a small couch and an hourglass in a suspended metal holder, bolted to the desk. It was fairly warm. The lock clicked.

De Sardet turned “Vasc-”

Cut off by an eager mouth on his De Sardet fell back, just barely starting to feel the aches of not only his spar with Constantin, but now Vasco’s thorough victory. He tilted his head up obediently, reaching to touch the Captains face, remembering the bruising, and ripping his hand away from one side. Vasco wrapped an arm around him, pulling them flush. For a moment, the passion ebbed and De Sardet took the time to enjoy kissing the Naut Captain. Sliding their tongues together, Vasco’s penchant for nuzzling and nipping into the kiss in a way that made De Sardet’s heart throb.

He was forced to move as a hand wormed between them, deft fingers tugging at his collar. De Sardet stepped back a moment, taking in vague surliness at the action in Vasco’s eyes, before leaning up and continuing the kiss in a position better suited to undoing the Captain’s coat.

Taking the hint, Vasco threw both hands into working De Sardet out of his clothes while De Sardet tore at him in turn. It felt like fire where their mouths touched, Vasco greedily rubbing hands over any skin exposed as De Sardet tentatively evaded his right side, left hand held a careful distance.

Vasco’s jacket slid to the floor behind him, his tricorn tossed to the desk, which elicited a bark of laughter, and De Sardet’s own tricorn joining it. Vasco opened his mouth, one side of his mouth tugging up for a tease and De Sardet, having none of it, buried his hands in the Captains hair, slipping the tie off and licking into his mouth in a filthier manoeuvre then he was sure he’d ever executed before. At this angle he felt Vasco’s eyelashes flutter as they closed, a low sound leaving his mouth and pouring into De Sardet’s throat. De Sardet felt Vasco’s hands in his hair as well, stripping out the tie and flinging it to the floor. The Captain broke the kiss and trailed down De Sardet’s face, pressing hot open mouthed kisses along his jaw to below his ear, hands trailing to his chest to the open laces of De Sardet’s shirt and askew coat. Belt hanging open.

“Mm, stop.” De Sardet said reluctantly, stepping back. “You’re…incredibly hurt.”

Vasco fixed him with a look “I’m grown, De Sardet. I’m sure we can find a way around my injuries. And if not, we may as well make them worse in a way I’ll enjoy.”

De Sardet must have looked unsure, because Vasco, eyes still blazing, softened his expression. “Come now, gently.”

The Naut took one of De Sardet’s hands in his own and hooked their linked fingers under the shirt on his bad side.

“Gods it’s…hot.” De Sadert said in concern.

“Oh aye, ugly as sin to boot.” Vasco agreed “Hopefully not a dealbreaker.”

“None of you is ugly.” De Sardet chided, gently eking the shirt up over the oversensitive side and pulling it away from hot skin. “Does it hurt very terribly?”

Vasco’s eyes were blown wide, golden stars swallowed in night. “Like a bitch, if I’m being honest.” he admitted “We get this over my shoulder and we should be in the clear.”

Together they pried the shirt off, leaving Vasco trembling as cold air caressed the swelling of his battered right side.

“You fought me like a fury, and you were this beat up?” De Sardet scolded, reaching out to Vasco’s tensing body to brush feather light touches over his ribs, a sore looking area where his punch landed avoided. “Idiot.”

“Well, gotta keep face with my crew.”

De Sardet fixed him with a dry look and sank to his knees, gingerly undoing the laces of Vasco’s breeches. On impulse he leaned in, pressing his mouth softly to the edge of the bruising. Then again, and again. Vasco tensed and relaxed in time, seemingly trying to not expect pain, but instinctively shrinking away, as De Sardet lowered his pants and smallclothes. De Sardet moved down, brushing a kiss over an abused hip, a purple swath of thigh that made the muscle tremble.

“Yes, very romantic, up here.” Vasco growled, despite his tone, helping De Sardet to his feet slowly. He kissed him, hard, again. “I don’t mind you sweet.” He said into De Sardet’s mouth, pulling back and letting the Legate pant into the open air. He reached down to tug De Sardet’s open belt, both kicking out of their shoes and shrugging off lingering clothing as they backed to the bed. De Sardet’s brushing light hair away from Vasco’s neck, seeing the crimson on his skin, neck the only place free of bruising, now marred with a cut.

“What was your suggestion?” 

“Oh. Just me getting carried off in the current of a good fight.”

De Sardet tilted his face to kiss Vasco solidly on the corner of his mouth not smeared with bruising. “To the victor go the spoils.” He breathed “As you said, it’s but a suggestion.”

The Legate knelt between Vasco’s legs, both streaked in blood and messy from fingers and fight. And Vasco, proud and fierce seemed all the more beautiful bludgeoned and bloody and lithe and toned sprawled beneath him.

“Stand up.” Vasco said after a moment, eyes narrow and calculating.

De Sardet pushed up, standing unsteadily he reached to brush drying flakes of blood from his face, Vasco’s eyes visibly following. Once he was upright he fought the blush as Vasco trailed his eyes slow and hot over every inch of him. Pressing his lips together he shifted a little, spreading his legs, and De Sardet swallowed, throat tight. Vasco was hard, gold stark against the bruising of his hip, cock flushed red and mingling well with the colors. De Sardet reached out to gingerly brush the soft skin of the Captains ankle by the edge of the bed, blushing and snatching his hand back.

“Well, at least you don’t seem opposed.” Vasco said, heat under his tone and he stretched out, locking his legs about De Sardet and pulling.

De Sardet went down, leaning heavily on one side to keep off the hot bruises on Vasco’s right, strong legs wrapped around him. “Y..Your suggestion?”

Vasco arched, miles of smooth meticulously cared for skin rubbing against De Sardet, making two sets of golden eyes close for a moment. “My suggestion, yes.” Vasco rumbled, rocking his hips up, De Sardet pressing a humming kiss to the Captains cheek as their cocks ground together. “If you’re not opposed.” Vasco murmured, turning to catch De Sardets lips. The legate grinding down hard, free hand brushing delicately over the hot oversensitive skin on Vasco’s right side. The Captain tilted his head up to mouth at De Sardet’s throat “Fuck me.” He mumbled into the delicate place where jaw met throat. He shifted a leg to lock one of De Sardet’s legs into place and bucked up.

De Sardet gasped, sitting back up, pulling a surprised Vasco with him, and ending up with a half startled Captain in his lap.

“Holding on a bit too tight.” The Naut said, almost shy, though his face didn’t show it. He moved to loosen his grip only to find his mouth occupied and a hand holding his hip tightly.

“Oil. I’ll not hurt you worse than this.” De Sardet murmured, nuzzling into another kiss. “But, I want to, if you want this.”

Vasco raised his brow. “Top drawer.”

De Sardet reached back and wrenched the drawer open hand rifling and coming up with a bottle. “Okay. Okay, doing this.”

“You sound petrified.”

“Have you ever seen you? I’m half expecting someone to walk in and tell me not to touch the art.”

Vasco hummed, ripped the oil from De Sardets hand, twined a hand in dark hair and used his weight to topple them backwards. He slid his hands down to the front of De Sardet’s shoulders, one hand pressing with the bottle. “Never expected you to use a rapier.” He murmured, leaning in, unable to stop touching, to keep his mouth off De Sardet. “You look like you should be working the docks with these shoulders.”

De Sardet pushed his hands back gingerly, pressing them to the bed by Vasco’s head. The man unusually docile. He plucked the oil from one hand and popped the lid up. He bit his lip, pouring some out for the second time today, and gently taking himself in hand, far too sensitive to last long, and frowned.

“Permission to move my arms, Excellency?” Vasco asked, jest clear in his voice.

“Granted.” De Sardet grunted back, gasping as Vasco sat, immediately gripping De Sardet’s cock in one hand, fingers slipping through the slick. He braced himself on one arm, his bad side supported, and tugged insistently at De Sardet. “We’re both a bit…keyed up from earlier.”

De Sardet nodded, biting into his lip, hips flexing. He fumbled with the oil in his hand again reaching for Vasco. “I’ll get to you, I swear it.”

“So dutiful.” Vasco gasped as a finger dragged down over his slit to the ring. “I don’t doubt it.” He rocked his hips up and craned up, swiping a hot soft tongue over the slash in De Sardet’s cheek. De Sardet gasped and bucked into Vasco’s hand. Unable to stretch so quickly again, Vasco wiggled and laid back down flat, crooking a finger at the startled Legate. De Sardet leaned down to brace himself and kiss Vasco for a moment. The Captain breaking off and kissing toward his cheek, gently laving the cut with stinging pressure that made De Sardet’s knees shake. For a moment they rocked like that, De Sardet toying with the thick vein and the ring alternatively, tantalizingly unsatisfying. Vasco stroking slowly just on the right side of too much. And as it seemed with Vasco, it didn’t take De Sardet long at all. Too unused to direct effort being paid to his own enjoyment he tuned his face and buried his nose in Vasco’s throat as he came.

“Okay, okay, okay.” He panted “Stop .Stop so I can try to do this right.”

Vasco obediently pulled his hand away and De Sardet forced himself through his own heavy limbs to slide back. A tattooed hand shooing him away from Vasco, preventing him from returning the favor. “Lets not get me too tired.” Vasco explained “You get to sleep after this, I’m needed on deck.”

De Sardet looked up in exasperation, Vasco sounded hardly effected. To be fair, De Sardet had very little idea of what to do. Let alone in this situation. But he wanted to learn so he leaned on blind enthusiasm. All thoughts screeching to a halt when Vasco brought his soiled hand up to inspect strands of white in the light from the small window. De Sardet groaned and added more oil to his hand, closing his hand for a moment when it felt cold.

Vasco licked his hand.

De Sardet lost his diplomatic training, but not his tone. “I’m starting to fear between my blood and spend you’re going to eat me in the night.” he sounded only vaguely breathless.

Vasco locked a leg around him again “I probably will. Now don’t be selfish.”

De Sardet nodded a bit too fast, cheek hot and wet at once. “Ah, yes, stop me if it’s bad.” And he slid a finger inside.

The Captain dropped his head back and rolled his hips and De Sardet felt himself stir. He clapped a hand over a strong thigh and tried to replicate what Vasco had done to him. “Is…Is this okay?”

“Divine. Angle up-ah. Yes. Yes that’ll do.” He choked off halfway through when De Sardet immediately took his instruction. He made a low noise when De Sardet didn’t stop at a few strokes, adding another finger for the precise purpose of making him grip the sheets and twist. “Bastard.”

“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t-” and suddenly Vasco was empty, dizzy and confused.

“Sea take you!” Vasco grumbled, sitting up and pulling De Sardet back. “Do __not__ stop. De Sardet.”

“Sorry, I thought I was hurting you.”

Vasco blinked, expression odd “No. I’d tell you. Are you alright?”

De Sardet slid his fingers back in, still wide eyed and Vasco whined, squirming as the other man went right back to what he’d been doing. De Sardet nuzzled into his neck while Vasco breathed heavily, hips twitching on occasion.

“I’m good. I’m good, let’s just.”

Vasco hit the bed again, side twinging but blood thrumming too strongly for him to care as De Sardet removed his fingers and pressed his cock into him. He hadn’t expected it to feel like this. He shifted and arched his back to help De Sardet who looked bewilderingly lost as Vasco felt. Granted, Vasco had never actually bedded someone like this before so he had an excuse. A quiet voice he was pretty sure he’d smothered some twenty lays ago whispered that De Sardet wasn’t enjoying it, he was startled by his boredom. He crushed the voice again and tried to lean up. De Sardet pushed him back slowly, Vasco going, interested.

De Sardet leaned forward and tried to brace his arms, visibly thinking about something. “Can you get your legs around me without killing your ribs?”

__No.__ “Yes.” Vasco lied easily, far to interested to care about passing pain. He stretched a bit and brought his legs up to press around De Sardet. It hurt far less than expected.

“Yes, this will work.” De Sardet mumbled, eyes taking in everything. “Tell me if I hurt you.” He repeated, genuine in a way Vasco wasn’t really familiar with. Damn this man.

De Sardet leaned forward until he could kiss Vasco once more. “Hello.”

Vasco blinked “Good afternoon, Excellency.”

The Legate kissed over the bruising of his face delicately, rocking his hips in a way that made Vasco sigh and tilt himself. Gasping softly when that same place was brushed. He felt De Sardet smile into the blade of his jaw and keep going down.

For the most part, beyond soft noises and the occasional gasp or bitten off moan, Vasco was quiet. Until De Sardet’s mouth closed over the injury on his neck. The sting mixed with the fullness and the uncomfortably vulnerable affection he bore the man bedding him making his belly tight. Vasco cried out, bucking a bit, and ignoring the jolt through his ribs as De Sardet ran a broad hand down his good side, every inch sparking and making him feel sanity slipping away.

As De Sardet’s mouth pulled sinfully at the wound on his neck, Vasco tossed his head to give him more room, biting his lip hard enough to taste copper when De Sardet wrapped his wandering hand fully around him and began to stroke in earnest.

He’d wondered what being on the receiving end of this would be like but hadn’t expected to enjoy it quite so much. Recalling only a few partners as active as he was. Recalling he’d thought them sensitive but never bothered to find if he himself was. Oh yes, he wouldn’t mind this again. With De Sardet. He was injured and vulnerable and De Sardet was trustworthy. He wasn’t sure he’d let anybody else kiss and lap at his injuries, or help him experience a first time without insecurity. De Sardet was special like that. It had been two weeks and he was too deep in. He gasped, and De Sardet pulled off his neck, turning to nip at his chin until Vasco lolled to face him, free hand raking nails down a muscular back and wrenching himself closer. De Sardet immediately kissed him again, tongue flickering at the blood on his lip. Vasco brought his other hand to the mans hair and held him close. Gasping with each thrust as he got close. De Sardet pulled back and Vasco felt a strange spike of loss as the man readjusted himself. Thrusts coming faster and a soft pleading noise bleeding into the airy gasp punched out of Vasco with each stroke. De Sardet leaned down and sucked softly at one nipple and for some reason that did it. Vasco went rigid as a sail in high wind and came with his eyes rolled back. A choking noise grinding out of his throat. De Sardet slid back up, panting into his neck before pulling out and coming over Vasco’s thigh. A soft groan pressed to the delicate skin under the Captains ear. They laid still, catching their breath.

“Good show, De Sardet.” Vasco panted as the man rolled off to his good side.

“I think you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Vasco levered himself up and to the side, crashing their mouths together again, more teeth than lips until it wasn’t. When he pulled back he huffed a small laugh one hand curled on De Sardet’s smooth chest, bowing his head to send the huff into De Sartet’s chin. The Legate kissed the crown of his head and stroked his hair. “I read poetry.” He blurted.

“Oh?”

“I…I’ve read how poets describe beautiful things.” He didn’t know where he was going but his mouth did. What had De Sardet said, in a different circumstance? Your fool mouth is kinder than your smart one? If that was the case, Vasco would hold his sharp tongue and let the softness in his body and chest yammer for him. “I’m…upset, that I can’t think of a phrase good enough for you.”

A strong arm held him close as they breathed together.

“You need to be on deck.” De Sardet groaned, making no effort to move.

Vasco stood and crumpled with a surprised yelp. Oh. Oh by all seven seas and the hidden isles. His injuries were more sore and numerous than before. He grabbed the side table and hefted himself to his feet, meeting surprised gold eyes.

“I…Do you need help?”

Vasco had clawed his way up through the ranks. He was young, ambitious, driven, and proud. He wasn’t stupid though. Well, not usually. “Yes.”

De Sardet helped him to the wash basin in the privy and they mopped each other up. Vasco allowing himself a moment of intimacy as De Sardet carefully tied the Captains hair back and gently helped him into his shirt.

“I won’t break De Sardet.” He said, tone fluctuating in a way he didn’t really understand as he shrugged his coat back on and tried to hide a wince.

“Anymore?”

“Oh to hell with you.”

Fully dressed, sore and tired, Vasco touched the brim of his hat and moved to the door. “You’re welcome to stay the night.” He said, hand on the door. “Or, any nights.”

For two months. De Sardet thought. It had been two weeks and he was already failing Kurt and all but tossing his head at the Captain. Puppy love, he told himself. Good sex and good company and a good man. And He wasn’t used to it. Reigning himself in. “Well how could I refuse. See you at sundown?”

“Two hours past.” Vasco yawned “Don’t forget to put pants on.” and he opened the door just wide enough to get out and closed the door behind him. Tired but with a fluid spring in his step and a strange expression as he re-approached the bow.

“Cap’n!” Flavia called “Clear sea, nice wind, and no weather looking foul. All’s well.”

“Thanks for the report.” He acknowledged, raising an eyebrow at a few Nauts who stopped to stare, and they moved on quickly.

“Oh damnation Captain, your injuries look worse.” Lauro said approaching.

“Oh they are.” Vasco replied in the same tone he’d used to thank Flavia for the report. He moved to check the knots around the mast. “Make yourself useful and get Jonas, that sail needs trimming.”

“Oh De Sardet a more competent man I’ve never met.” He mumbled observing the shake of his hand as he tightened a loose knot.

Said man appeared a few minutes later. Greeting the others and nodding in greeting.

De Sardet watched the crew in motion for moment. Watched Vasco, in pain, dart around and take care of odds and ends with his crew. Every knot tightened, every order barked, every approving nod made De Sardet feel like he was sinking into something soft, the world muting. He turned to enter the mess, which doubled as a meeting place barring their rooms. Vasco was a great Captain, or at least it seemed like it. And it drove him mad. In a strangely good way.

He shook his head. Now wasn’t the time to encourage whatever it was his heart was trying to do. He was going to remember the Captains Quarters and the handsome Captain of the Sea-Horse until the day he died.


	7. Nothing Can Console Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting a heart on fire is one thing, touching it while ablaze is another, and they both learn it soon enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hahahahaahahahah
> 
> sooooooo
> 
> I straight up love Jolly Sailor Bold and you can't escape me using it in all of my boat fics. 
> 
> Anyway, angst and misunderstandings and Vasco slipping and landing in a pile of feels he didn't sign on for.
> 
> De Sardet is De Sadet.
> 
> Sorry for the iffy schedule, work be killin me. I'm getting up way too early. 
> 
> This chapter is short and unedited, as per usual. Enjoy!

A month later saw the relationship blooming into a sort of uncomfortable domesticity that gave them both pause. It was too easy to be looking for something and turn to find the other there with the item in hand and a simple “you left this” on their lips. Or to suddenly find food traded during mealtimes, a sudden recommendation for entertainment when their eyes listed to the side. 

Sex was still frequent and De Sardet’s cheeks would still turn scarlet with all the things he had learned and experienced. Now though, it seemed every other night he was simply content curling up and sleeping, warm and close. He had traced Vasco’s tattoos with his tongue and his fingers, both heated, and simply curious. Leaning next to the man and tracing fingers over swirling lines while the Captain whispered stories into his hair. 

Vasco touched him like that too. Curious, not heated. Calloused hands sweeping up a stiff back, still unused to the new bed. Gentle fingers brushing the odd birthmark on his face. And for once, it wasn’t in an attempt to see if it was contagious, or a new Malichor strain. No, Vasco would swipe his knuckles over the mark and smile. His face so unbearably fond it made De Sardet’s heart stop.

It was far to easy to forget that this? This was not permanent. It soured every sweet moment after a time. They’d be curled together, breathing soft and sweet and suddenly one or both would inhale a bit too sharply, like the reminder was a dirk to the ribs. Or they’d pull from an embrace a moment too soon, like their skin was burned. 

Notably, they still didn’t know much about each other. Oh they knew tics, and quirks, and likes and dislikes. De Sardet knew Vasco was odd about being Sea-Given, he knew he was very shifty about nobility. However there was no why, in fact De Sardet was pretty sure Vasco still had moments where De Sardet himself made him grit his teeth. He wasn’t part of the crew. He wasn’t to go around touching ropes or sails, cargo was off limits, very rarely if he asked someone had something he could help carry. And that was fine, he hardly wanted Vasco reading diplomatic treaties and answering for him. He wasn’t a Naut, this wasn’t his ship, and as much as he’d slipped into their lives, he wasn’t a deckhand. Which made days long and boring. Still, it was strange to be somewhere he was so clearly not needed. Nauts took pride in their ships, some Lord from Serene was hardly someone who got to break their traditions. Even Vasco got antsy when he roamed about. The navigation room? De Sardet had almost been decked by Lauro. Lauro of all people, his friend. Or, as close to friend the Nauts got. Every time he felt too sad, too far from his mother, whose final breaths he’d never see, it cramped his stomach. Vasco had asked once, and De Sardet had bitten the words off savagely before he could share. 

Vasco had understood. He had plenty of his own secrets. 

They simply shrugged and worked around it, taking the pleasure with the pain. 

“Can I come over?” De Sardet asked from the doorway. 

Vasco, seated at the desk with the chair mechanism locked to prevent sliding looked up, fountain pen stilling for a moment. He blinked slowly, clearly still absorbed in his work. “Aye, nothing sensitive, the ships log.”

De Sardet crossed the room in a few strides, tilting Vasco’s jaw up for a kiss. “Anything interesting?” He asked when he released the Captain, hat free as he usually was at his desk.

“Saw a bird.” The man muttered “Saw lots of water. Started rum rations. Sky’s clear for the next week. So that’s only five more to worry about.”

New Serene was close. De Sardet couldn’t even be irked by Vasco’s impatience to land and resupply. Even the Nauts must want for simple pleasures when all they had was salt and brine. “What’ll you do, first thing when you touch land?” 

Vasco opened his mouth and was cut off.  
“Not talking to the Admiral or seeing us off or taking stock of your Sailors.” De Sardet rattled off, ignoring the twinge at what this meant. Actively looking forward to the end of this for the first time. 

“Hmm.” Vasco hummed, tilting his head back, hands free of the drying log. “Maybe…a bath? A solid meal. Something with fruit.”

“Fruit?”

“I like fruit.” Vasco said with a shrug “I like vegetables too. I’m fair sick of salted meat and if you offer me fish I’ll run you through.”

“You’d miss it after a while though, wouldn’t you?”

“Oh, aye. I got stuck in port for six weeks once. My Sailors gained weight, and we had all the rich food we could ever want. All the water we could drink, all the fireplaces we wanted to light, and by day six I was hankering for a strip of salted pork.” Vasco smiled wistfully “Oh weren’t we a sight, buying month old rations off the next ship.” He sobered “I think they knew though. Nauts don’t take well to prolonged exposure to land.”

De Sardet scoffed “So, a water witch who loves fruit, and hates the land?” He grinned when Vasco gave him a strange look. “Seafaring Pagans, placated with carrots, I can see it now.”

“Witches and Pagans aren’t the same but yes, if ever you want to throw us off your trail, throw a vegetable.” Vasco retorted in good humor. “So, I’m going to take a proper bath and eat food that hasn’t been pickled. What are you going to do?”

De Sardet sighed, oh there was so much work to be done. What was he going to do? Fingertips pressed to his mouth and he looked down. Vasco stomped the release on the chair and stood, the furniture sliding back on the rail, latch stomped without looking to hold it back. Vasco kept his hand in place, now standing with his hand on De Sardet’s mouth, eyebrows raised, gold eyes alight with a mischief that made De Sardet’s heart pound. 

Vasco grinned “Not.” He said in a familiar tone “Talk to the leaders of your fair isle. Or see to your work, or take stock of your belongings and the movers.” De Sardet’s mouth curled “Or wave me off, what are you going to do, when you get your feet back on land?”

Cry. Kiss him. Beg him not to leave? Throw himself into drink like a brokenhearted harlot, probably. He allowed Kurt’s humor to slide into his mind. He had his friends, he had Constantin. It would be fine. “I.” He stated firmly “Am going to bathe, eat the least salty thing I can find, and sleep, in a nice soft bed.”

“What, mine not good enough for you?”

“It’s lovely, it has a lovely Captain in it, it still feels like it’s constructed from a barrel.”

“You keep calling me lovely like I’m some sun haired lass you found at the Port. You’ve already won me De Sardet, you don’t have to woo me as well.” Vasco laughed.

Vasco pushed him back a bit. De Sardet went down onto the bed and moved so Vasco could lay as well, both side by side staring at the ceiling.

“Oh no.” De Sardet said placidly “Your hair is more of a light brown?” The false thought in his words making Vasco huff a laugh. “And honestly, not a lass.”

“That’s fair.”

“I do have five to six more weeks of you though, so you’ll have to deal with the wooing, I’m afraid.”  
Vasco lifted both his hands up in confused exasperation. “You got what you wanted, now be like everyone else and get bored.”

De Sardet rolled to face Vasco “Are you bored?”

“No.” Vasco’s tone a derisive snort.

“Then I’m going to keep it up. Know why?”

“Because you’re as insufferable as all nobles but charming enough to make me like it the slightest bit?”

“Oh sure, yes. But also because you’re so lovely.”

Vasco groaned and squeezed his eyes shut.

“Oh like you haven’t made worse jokes.” De Sardet goaded “The digs, not that you’re unfairly good looking. That’s not a joke. That’s some sort of divine favoritism.” 

“Stop calling me a god.”

“Stop looking and fucking like one.”

Vasco choked on his own spittle, coughing as he laughed “Fucked many gods have you?”

“Just the one.” De Sardet teased.

“Oh? What were they like?”

“Had a pierced dick. Wasn’t sure about it at first but by the sea did I come around….and on…and nearb-”

“You have been spending entirely too much time with us.” Vasco chided, still laughing “Your noble tongue should be blackened with all the Naut crassness.” 

De Sardet leaned in to nuzzle under the Captains jaw. “Maybe it is?”

Vasco turned and kissed him, slow and deep. De Sardet felt his toes curl in his boots, nd reached up to cradle half of Vasco’s face.

They stayed like that. Mouths moving slowly and hands touching lightly. Lost in their own world until when next they looked up. Relaxed and warm with lips swollen and cheeks flushed, to see the sun had moved.

Vasco sat up, offering De Sardet a hand. “Dinner, Tempest.”

Something stuck in De Sardet’s throat.

“You don’t need to answer if you don’t want to.” He said carefully. “But you do call me Tempest now and again. What does that mean?”

Heart stuttering in his chest, Vasco lied. “Ah, it’s a common pet name amongst Nauts. I tend to fall into old habits on occasion.” And he lied to himself when the frozen, lifeless smile on De Sardet’s face appeared as they walked to dinner, leagues away from each other when they had just been necking like teenagers. He thought, well, that doesn’t bother me, he’ll be gone soon. 

He would rather keelhaul himself then make the Legate have that expression again.

‘Six weeks’, he thought ruefully. ‘Six weeks and I do it again, seas my heart must be stone to do that to him again.’ 

“And there’s our dear William.” Flavia cried when they entered the mess. 

De Sardet looked at him, gold eyes so like his own flitting to the side for a moment. “Your name is William?”

Vasco snorted again, feeling hollow, oh all of this had been such a bad idea. “It’s a Naut joke.”

De Sardet looked a little stung, and Flavia seemed to realize it “Oh, beggin your pardon, Excellency. It’s a play on that old song, y’know the one. ‘Saying, William, when you go I fear you’ll ne’er return again’ that one.”

Kurt raised a glass “Well there we go, Sailor Bold it is.”

Vasco didn’t feel bold. He felt stupid. He felt like he’d entered a current he couldn’t get out of, and now he was attached to a noble who wouldn’t look twice at him on land, and his own heart insisting he lost his heart at sea but would never feel at home there again.

Vasco felt like he’d lost something. And De Sardet’s perfect cold expression as Constantin tried to act like he wasn’t trying to see what was wrong discretely while four feet away, just made him that much more aware that he probably had.


	8. Cut Rum With Water and Love with Cynicism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vasco tries to work his feelings out. Flavia raises a few good points.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's still angst, idk why? Smutty bullshit soon?
> 
> No editing as per usual. 
> 
> Anyway, pls lov me even though I write things that make me sad?

De Sardet didn’t come to bed that night. Which left Vasco more cold than the night air really effected. As a result he learned how incapable he was of sleeping without the Legate now. Halfway through the night with a huff he threw the blankets off and dressed, jerking his clothes on with rapid jerky movements, still correcting the set of a boot as he stormed out of his quarters.

“Flavia.” He called when he reached the deck, a few of the low burning light sources on board set up and surrounded with sand, casting shadows into horrifying shapes.

Flavia looked up from her barrel, a tin cup in hand, definitely full of water and rum to keep her warm for the night shift. “Captain?” Her face was warped with shadows and he couldn’t judge her expression or posture in the unstable light. “What are you up?”

“Want to trade shifts for the night?” He couldn’t just tell her to do so. He wasn’t a tyrant, and it was a quick way to lose the crews respect if he started ordering odd hours.

“You want night watch?” Flavia said, suspicion laden in her voice “Feel like dear Maria may have some complaints.”

It had been like this for two weeks. He’d tried to keep it off De Sardet and his party, but the Naut line of calling young smitten lovers William and Maria like the damnable song persisted. It wasn’t even a mean comparison, it was undeniably romantic and loyal, there were other jokes for the foolhardy. But this one meant something and wasn’t that the crux of the matter. “Rough seas, Flavia.” He said simply “Trade you a week.” A pause “And my straight rum rations.” He shouldn’t be drinking while upset anyway. Drink was a fickle mistress when ones head wasn’t on straight. Vasco was hardly prone to drink but he wasn’t taking chances.

“Oh that sounds serious, Captain.” Flavia said “It…It wasn’t what I said, was it?”

Vasco didn’t lie to his crew, not if he could help it. He’d already lied to De Sardet, he wasn’t keen to keep his streak up. “Yes, but it wasn’t your fault, lass. I’d mangled everything a few paces to the mess.”

He imagined her face was twisted in a half frown. “Sunset on the sea, Captain, what did you do?”

To give himself a moment, Vasco stripped off his jacket and paced closer, heavy cloth draped over his arm as he stepped fully into the lantern light, careful not to disturb the ring of sand. It left him in the billowing sleeved loose shirt. The firelight cast enough light to make the tattoos on his forearms stand out through the sleeves. The white shirt barely hid black in the moonlight, so the lantern or sun showed the ink clear as day, but largely hid his tanned skin. It was cold. “Think I fell in love with him, lass.” He said softly, coming to stand next to her, fine tremors running over his skin in the frigid night.

“Put your coat back on.” Flavia said simply. Vasco obeyed, stroking his thumb repeatedly over the cuff. It wasn’t frayed, but the embroidery left raised edges like a code inside his sleeve, and the sensation was enough to give him something to do. “Fell in love with a dainty, eh?” Flavia said. The words teasing but the tone not at all.

“Aye. Trying to weigh anchor on the beach. I feel brilliant.” 

Flavia nodded absently, eyes still out over the sea. “What’re you gonna do, Captain?”

Vasco exhaled slowly “I don’t know, if I cut my losses now, or see if we can make it work another few weeks.”

“Didn’t ask that.” She said abruptly, still looking over the water, not at Vasco. “Asked what you were gonna do.” She rolled her shoulders and was silent.

“I don’t know what you mean, lass.”  
“You’re a passionate man, Captain.” She said, words clipped, but not unkind. “You’re all wind and sails and storm and rough sea and everything I’ve seen out here.” She gestured broadly over the black glass of the ocean. “One of the reasons we love you so much, is that the sea breeze fills our sails and we can watch your chest rise with ‘em. You’ve given yourself to this, entirely.”

“Aye.” All things Vasco knew. But Flavia had a point, she always did. More insightful and cleear headed then she even let on.

“The sea has your heart. But if you’ve given it away, where do you go?”

Vasco pressed his lips together. “Plenty have loved and lost, lass, you don’t need to worry about me.”

Flavia sighed and leaned forward onto her hands, still not looking at Vasco. “We’re family, Captain. I know when you’re testy, or happy, or tired. We all know you’ve had doubts. I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to try. I don’t think any of us would. You’re our Captain.”

“What is a Naut Captain without a ship, Flavia? What would I even be if I left?” he pinched the bridge of his nose “I can’t hand my mooring to a Lord and hope he’s not going to cut me free the moment he walks out of Port.”

Flavia shrugged and hopped off her barrel, slapping a cold spyglass into his hand. “Dunno what you’ll be on a ship besides bitter.” She said, she didn’t look accusatory or sound it. She looked sympathetic, this close. “One weeks nights watch, Captain.” She made a show of setting her tin cup on the barrel she vacated. “I’ll bring you your own, feel free to finish mine while you wait.”

Vasco took watch, he took small sips of the cups contents, passing what was left to Flavia when she brought him his own. 

What did he do? Cast his mooring on land and lose his life, or live his life and lose his soul? He took a deep drink of the rum water and almost coughed at the burn of straight rum. Flavia just brought him his ration, then. Both options, he reasoned, were absolutely awful. But at least on the ship he knew what to expect. He’d been unhappy on a ship before. Being unhappy and alone on land sounded worse. So there was that decision.

But what to do for the last six weeks?

His eyes stung with want for rest, which wouldn’t come for hours yet. 

At dawn a familiar set of steps approached. Vasco wasn’t sure if he heard what he did, or if it was the tiredness. He took a sip of his rum and watched the sunrise.

“It’s pretty.” De Sardet said quietly, walking up behind the Captain. “I, uh, stopped by our room and you weren’t there. I didn’t think to check the deck.”

Our room. Vasco felt his heart try to wring itself out like a wet rag, even as a smile curled his mouth. As if acting on its own he held the cup out to De Sardet. Who obediently took a sip and coughed and sputtered. Vasco felt his smile grow as the Lord coughed and shoved the cup back. “Did you get any rest, lad?”

De Sardet wheezed for a bit. Surprise morning rum was not his usual fare. “I…I didn’t. Vasco, look I’m sorry I vanished for a moment there, and it was unworthy of me, and unfair to you.”

Vasco felt a strange swelling of bile that the man was trying to talk through this like it was real and they’d get to keep it. Vasco was already trying to sever what he could so he could sail away in the end instead of taking a stupid gamble. He’d been deliberating on the remaining time they had, and De Sardet had lain awake, trying to picture how to fix it. Vasco had nothing like that to offer. 

“I wanted to apologize, I forgot my place and I acted like…”

Like this fragile shining thing Vasco was entirely sure was marked on a map somewhere, a massive ‘X’ over a pile of gold long looted but beautiful and theoretically possible but a stupid idea, was something they could have. Like Vasco knew his name, like he would ever give up the sea even as he grew more bitter toward it. Like he could leave his family, Like De Sardet would look twice at a Naut on land, like a Legate could love a Sailor. 

“...an ass. I care for you and I don’t want to sour what time we have left. Have I? Is there any way we could live this last six weeks as we have been?”

Vasco had actually never been shot. But he was pretty sure this is what it felt like. He realized why Flavia hadn’t looked at him when he was close enough to see last night, this morning? This angle let you choose your words without your face being visible.

What did he want?

De Sardet, the sea. His history, the confusing past he’d been robbed of, to feel comfortable in his own skin in a way he couldn’t be while tangled with De Sardet. On the sea with nobility was nothing. On the sea with a man he wondered about a life with, would they have known each other? Would De Sardet have liked him this much? The mess of disconnected puzzle pieces that made him up ground together into a unique discomfort. What would his life have been like if he wasn’t a Naut? Would he be this conflicted?

“Vasco?” De Sardet’s voice was strained.

“Sorry lad, I didn’t sleep much either. I’m on night watch for the next week.”

“Oh. I’m very sorry to have disturbed your watch, Captain.”

The Captain winced and snagged De Sardet’s arm as he turned to leave. A sort of frail loss under his diplomatic tone that Vasco only caught because it was the same tremor Vasco had felt under his lips in De Sardet’s throat when he was exhausted and helpless beneath the Captain. He’d never expected that note to be non-sexual but he surprised himself by catching it. 

“Captain?”

Vasco stood and gently tugged, De Sardet stumbled forward a few steps and found his chin tilted up into a kiss that tasted like straight rum at sunrise.

“We’ve got the time, lad. Let’s be foolish a bit longer.”

De Sardet smiled and kissed him again. 

They were standing in a rivers current, pulling them both ways and they were only together until their arms got tired.

As it happened, Vasco could calculate when the current would get rough. And they had some time.

He pushed lingering doubts aside when he went to sleep an hour later.

He told himself he was right when De Sardet woke him for midday meal with a warm press of lips at the crown of his head.

His fool heart didn’t know what was happening and settled for beating like a war drum whenever De Sardet was near.


	9. Taste of Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vasco's new schedule results in fitful sleep. De Sardet decides to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eyyyy
> 
> It's smut
> 
> but still angst.
> 
> I don't even like angst what am I doing?
> 
> Anyway, it'll be happy eventually I promise. 
> 
> Have some body worship and oral.
> 
> I edit 0% as per usual, I'm sorry for this.

“Mmm, this is a nice way to wake.” De Sardet hummed from bed.

The sun was rising outside the window, the waves and wind cold and Vasco’s eyes heavy. The Captain was stripping his clothes from the day off for rest, blissfully believing De Sardet asleep until the man chimed in, eyes trailing over Vasco hungrily even with eyes half open. 

“Did I wake you?”

“Best wake up call I’ve ever gotten.” De Sardet stated, sitting up and still staring.

Vasco rolled his eyes, fingers betraying his nervousness as they slipped over buttons, fumbling laces, tensing muscles burning under De Sardet’s drowsy, interested gaze. “I’m not going to be of much use to you, lad.” Not Tempest, it caused so many issues inside of him and in the air between them. Too fast, too much, like the entire arrangement. Too brittle, too short for the title. 

The floor creaked as De Sardet slipped out of bed. “I actually have an idea, if you’ll indulge me?”

He couldn’t say he wasn’t tempted. However his eyes were heavy, his limbs were heavy, and breathing was tiring. “I…It’s not that I’m not interested.” Vasco assured. “I am close to sleeping standing up.”

A broad hand tugged at a lace Vasco seemed to have trouble with, as warm lips touched his jaw. “I know, you’ve been dead on your feet all week.” De Sardet said, a puff of laughter making Vasco shiver, tiredness making him cold. “If you fall asleep that’s fine. I wanted to do something for you?”

“Well now I’m curious.” Vasco admitted, a yawn cracking his jaw as one sneaked past. “Sorry.”

“Please don’t apologize for being tired.” De Sardet said, gently beginning to pull Vasco’s shirt over his head, briskly rubbing his good side when the man immediately shivered, the other side yellowed and healing cleanly. The healing bruising a different tone than the tanned gold of Vasco’s skin, and far less sensitive than it had been, but still tender. “You’ve slept so terribly the last few days, I only wish to try and help you sleep.”

“What in the name of Hell are you planning, De Sardet?” Vasco asked tiredly, leaning back into the other man as he shimmied Vasco’s pants over his hips to the ground with his underclothes. De Sardet was warm and Vasco was tired and damn it, those hands could treat him delicately if he wanted to. 

“Nothing if you don’t say yes? I’ll leave you be if you’d prefer not. I simply wish to be of use.”

De Sardet was sweet. Vasco thought for what felt like the millionth time, he treated Vasco so delicately some times he felt nearly condescended to, then suddenly it was all heat and he was forced to confront it was simple tenderness. Vasco had never really had someone interested in treating him tenderly, nor had he asked for it. He found he didn’t mind it terribly, though he did occasionally get rather sick of it. De Sardet seemed to be learning his tells, when he wouldn’t mind the man sucking on his neck for hours, when he wanted him to bite.

“You said it’s fine if I sleep?”

“Of course, the goal is for you to rest.” De Sardet reaffirmed “If it’s alright, I may lay with you a while? Constantin’s seasickness has returned full force and we had to push lessons back today.”

“Never a hardship, De Sardet.” Vasco said, untying his hair and tossing the tie to his desk. “Do I go to the bed?”

“Yes.” De Sardet said “Get comfortable on your back.”

As Vasco walked over De Sardet pulled the rumpled covers down and laid them in a mess at the foot. Vasco flopped down, placing his arms behind his head and closing his eyes. Stifling the soft groan of comfort as the bed cradled him as the cold sea wind couldn’t. He freed his arms to simply rest sprawled out. Whatever De Sardet had planned had best be entertaining or he would sleep, the soft mattress warm and his eyes so heavy.

The noble knelt by his feet, he could feel the mattress De Sardet felt wasn’t divine in nature, the fool, dip. And warm hands slip around his knees lifting them up to bend and sliding them apart. Broad shoulders and a trim waist sliding beneath them until De Sardet was pressing his tongue into Vasco’s mouth, hips slotted together, a warm hand behind his ribs to hold him close. 

“Mm, alright, maybe I won’t go to sleep.” 

“That’s the point, don’t negate the point.” De Sardet mumbled against his mouth. Hand sliding from his ribs to the point of a hip, rubbing a tight circle as they hummed into the kiss. Vasco felt his heart pick up just a little, cock rising lazily as the hand slid up and down his thigh with clear intention. “There we go.”

Vasco had half a mind to complain when De Sardet pressed another firm kiss to his mouth then moved down, nipping at his throat, sucking over his pulse. Instead he sighed and sank back, the pillow soft, a nice contrast to the firm body on top of him. De Sardet continued down, hot open mouthed kisses down his neck to his chest, stopping to eagerly suck at his nipples, tongue twisting the gold bars as he’d come to realize Vasco loved. He took his time, sucking one, then the other, thumbs pressing hard strokes into his inner thighs that he pressed up farther.

“Good so far?” De Sardet panted into the center of his chest when he felt he’d played enough. 

“Mhm.” Vasco felt a strange mix of hot and cold, his chest aching pleasantly, eyes still heavy but simultaneously enjoying the sensations. “’s nice.”

“Then I’ll continue.” De Sardet said, kissing lower, hands on his thighs loosening, letting his feet return to the bed as the Legate worked his way down his body, sparks jolting at each hot press of the mans mouth. He stopped at the indent of his stomach, shallow and firm, and swirled his tongue in Vasco’s navel. Hands sliding beneath him to knead at the muscles of his lower back as he kissed and sucked the piercing there as well, teeth catching the curved metal and tugging on just the right side of pain. 

Vasco’s breath picked up as it had while the man was at his neck, at his chest, drowsy mind suddenly realizing the Legates plan. A swimmy warm memory of holding the back of De Sardet’s head in this same bed, gently coaching him through soft flickers of tongue, careful breathing, how to service a man with his mouth. The Legate had improved rapidly and Vasco wasn’t one to stop teaching until a skill was learned. The release of the navel piercing made him gasp, eyes fluttering open for a moment. 

“I’ve got it, Captain.” De Sardet muttered into flushed skin, nipping and kissing the sharp edges of Vasco’s hips. “Can I continue?”

“Yes.” Vasco panted shallowly “Usually kissing down a mans stomach is a hint, I must be asleep already.”

“That’s why I asked, I don’t want to be kicked in bed.” De Sardet laughed “And you’re strong, you’d probably kill me.”

“Less talking more cock sucking.” Vasco muttered, tone exhausted in a way more geared to De Sardet’s humor than his actual exhaustion.

“As you say, Captain.”

De Sardet lowered his mouth to just below the navel piercing only to be knocked with a thigh. He snorted a little laugh “Yes?”

“M’ name.”

He felt a little smile against his belly “As you say, Vasco.”

“Better.”

The kisses didn’t seal as hotly as they had before as De Sardet was chuckling between kisses, he trailed down his belly, genly moving his cock away to press hard sucking kisses to strong thighs, aching knees, delicate ankles, then back up to his sack. Gently mouthing while Vasco’s eyes fluttered open again, belly sucking in on itself.

De Sardet went all in, and when he moved to the base of his cock, Vasco whimpered. He could feel the smile again, as De Sardet pressed tiny kisses on the thick vein on the underside, working up till his cheekbone tapped the ring through his slit that came out under the head. At which point, De Sardet turned his head and pressed wet lips over the lower portion and sucked, shifting to enclose the lower ridge and the exit piercing in his hot mouth and alternated between kisses, sucking, and licking.

Eyes rolling at the sensation, Vasco found a strong arm over his hips as he went to buck.

“Just hold still. Let me know if I do something you don’t like.” De Sardet’s breath flowing over wet, abused skin as he dove back in. 

Vasco had never had someone focus on a small portion of his cock. Usually they went all in, or focused on the entire head, he was fine with that. This was strange and definitely geared towards messing with his piercings. As another small noise tore out of his throat though, he couldn’t say he minded. It felt incredibly good, however it also felt unsatisfying. And he was drowsy and irritable. His movement must have shown it, as the next moment a hot mouth closed over him, a tongue digging hard into his slit for the rest of the metal, full ring enclosed in De Sardet’s mouth.

A sharp sound fled him with the pressure and rougher treatment. It must not have sounded pained though, as De Sardet never stopped. His head bobbed shallowly. A hand slid from his thigh and for a moment Vasco was pretty sure he was going to finger him as he sucked, and was absolutely fine with that, another sound feeling dragged from his chest when De Sardet closed the ring in his teeth and tugged. Instead the hand closed around what De Sardet wasn’t sucking and began to stroke, making Vasco’s thighs tremble.

Vasco turned his head sideways, hands crawling to the blankets at each side of his body and twisting the sheets in his grip, screwing his eyes shut as he panted. “De Sardet.” He panted.

De Sardet tugged sharply again and Vasco cried out lashes wetting as his bucking hips were held down by a strong forearm. De Sardet tugged once again, and the silvery note that escaped Vasco made him gasp a shivery sigh onto Vasco’s cock, knot in his stomach coming undone, he released the ring, sucking hard until he was sure Vasco would be sore but satisfied, careful not to be so aggressive he caused damage.

“De Sardet.” The gasp was urgent and wrecked. 

Knowing what was coming, De Sardet picked up the pace with his hand and sucked hard, unsurprised when salty spend flooded his mouth, trying to swallow, carefully tugging back as needed to swallow without gagging. He sat up, wiping his arm crudely over his mouth when he was finished, enjoying Vasco laid out and golden, chest and belly still heaving, mouth parted delicately, eyelashes dewy. Yes, Vasco was an uncommon beauty and De Sardet would be staring at him every chance he got, thanks. 

One blown golden eye cracked open after a moment. “You?”

“You…Made a very lovely sound. And your aid isn’t required.”

Vasco squeezed his eyes shut. “Throw me overboard, I can die a happy man.”

De Sardet mopped up his stomach and crawled up to press a messy kiss to Vasco’s mouth. Blankets clenched in his hands as he covered them, Vasco humming in a very non-sexual way as the blanket covered him. “Sorry Vasco, you can’t die yet.”

They shared a drowsy (On Vasco’s part) and affectionate (on De Sardet’s) chuckle.

A thumb caressed Vasco’s lower lip “Ever considered piercing your tongue?”

“No. But if I do will you suck on my tongue like you do the others?”

“If you want.”

“I’ll consider piercing my tongue.” 

De Sardet snorted and pulled the Captain closer, settling in to rest. “You sleep. You’ve two more nights of night watch.” He brushed a kiss over soft hair as Vasco burrowed into his throat, all slender limbs and firm muscle stealing his warmth. “I’ll wake you for midday meal.” 

Vasco slept like the dead.

De Sardet stayed awake a while, A hand brushing up Vasco’s solid back and down to slim hips. Bluish black swirls decorating most places, the winding spiral down one side of his back a story of a hurricane, the band over the small of his back a reward for a cool head in crisis. He was holding a man who was undeniably powerful. Quiet breaths puffing into his throat as he slept. De Sardet closed his eyes and tried to stay relaxed for fear of waking the other man as a sweep of melancholy overcame him. “A month and two weeks, a month, and only five weeks to go, and I love you.” He muttered, voice so low Vasco likely couldn’t hear him even if he was awake. “Five weeks till I let you go.” His fingers brushed a shoulder blade and Vasco murmured, asleep and nonsensical into his throat. “I don’t want to let you go love. But I can’t bottle the ocean, I know that.” His eyes wet, but be smiled anyway truly relaxed as he settled in to rest as he said he would. “But if you want to wash up on my doorstep from time to time, that would be enough for me. Maybe not you, but me.”


	10. Unspoken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They may as well be at the shore. But Vasco and De Sardet have things to work through first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is short and sorta fillery but I needed it to try and get back to this. and it DID progress the plot!

If De Sardet had one complaint about the journey (barring the seasickness, lack of food variety, lack of things to do and a few others. Okay so complaints were to be had.) It was that it was so short. One day he was falling into bed with the Captain, enjoying so many firsts and finally, finally being with someone worth sleeping with.

The next, he was packing up his room, which in all honesty he hadn’t seen in weeks, to be ready to disembark in the coming week. 

He felt a trill of excitement in his belly, drilling into his chest and making his heart shake and hum. Constantin was a flutter with nerves and jubilation, Kurt was getting antsy. But on the other side of things, De Sardet was forlorn. The final week meant it was he and Vasco’s final few days. He knew they’d planned to call it off sooner but. Things seemed to get in the way. They couldn’t end their relationship, it was cold so the extra body would do them both good. Not tonight, they’re having fun. Oh no not tomorrow either, it’s more fun to help Kurt beat Vasco in cards when De Sardet can collect winnings in private. Last night? They were both so tired from a long day, may as well sleep on it.

It was fun, and delightful, and horrid. De Sardet mused. He’d like it if he was just…suspended in a bubble that made time stop. Content to just be here for now. But he also knew something had to give. And he was getting frustrated. This relationship, if that’s what it was, had to end. And honestly? He was close to biting the bullet and doing it himself. If only he could find the words.

Oh the words. Vasco was beautiful and lively when he wasn’t the serious ship captain, which was attractive in it’s own way. He had a sharp, silvered tongue, and eyes that would probably reduce De Sardet to tears were he any weaker of constitution. He was dutiful and creative, and he had a habit of using ocean metaphors for everything which, was honestly a little irritating but De Sardet was besotted and even his own irritation drew him in deeper. It had been three months, and he was definitely in love with Vasco. Head over heels, and ready to walk straight into the tavern in New Serene, and buy a bottle to pour out for the brokenhearted harlots of the world, because he understood. He got it. He was one of them now.

He rubbed his hands together for a moment, mostly for something to do, and latched the case. He looked around the barren room and nodded. All cleaned out. Which was just as good as he was losing the last rays of daylight. No lanterns or candles were about the ship. Though he was sure if he asked someone would have taken their permitted lantern and stood with him.

De Sardet made his way to the deck and looked around. The dying sun painted the water a vivid vermilion, ripples like fire charged across the sea and waves looked like the arms of divine soldiers cloaked in sacred flame pulling back from battle for a scarce moment. 

“Beautiful.” He whispered to himself. His life was on land, he made no mistake there. He liked his work. But he knew he was going to have to find a way to watch the sunset at sea again. 

***

Vasco sighed and both Flavia and Lauro looked away as if he didn’t know they were staring at him. 

Such had been the case for the last few days. He had to end this…thing. This affair with De Sardet. He should have done it days ago. De Sardet should have done it days ago. One or the both of them should have done this days ago. And now, he felt like a dolphin, beached on shore. Limber and strong enough to work his way back into the sea, but raw and confused as to how he got there in the first place. 

He, unfortunately, was in love with the noble. The fool noble who spoke like a scholar and looked like art, and wielded a rapier without poison. De Sardet took just a moment to long to understand a crass joke, and always slept with his knees pulled up a bit unless Vasco slid into his embrace to stop him. He hated dried fish but would eat all the jerky on board.   
Vasco had caught himself looking for a preferred tea blend two nights ago and was disgusted by his own romantic heart. 

“Cap’n?” 

“Yes. Flavia.” Goddess of the seas he even sounded exhausted.

“Are. Are you goin to tell ‘im? De Sardet?”

Vasco let his head hang for a moment before roughly scrubbing both of his hands over his face. “Why would I do that?” He groaned through his own hands, voice muffled.

“He’s not a bad man.” Lauro chimed in “Maybe he’ll stay aboard, or you two can work something out?”

“And maybe” Vasco started with a mocking edge to his tone, sharp edge aimed at himself, and Lauro knew it “he’ll become a Naut! And we’ll sail the seas together and he won’t miss his family, and I’’ll be happy as a clam and he won’t resent me.”

“Point taken, sir.”

“Don’t take the point you daft bastard I’m unhappy and can’t express it like a grown man so juvenile seagull was my only recourse.”

All was silent for a while as the sun sank beneath the waves. Vasco looked up at the sky, watching the shattered amethyst trails painting the velvet of the sky. Stars vivid as candles in the dark seemed to hurt as if he stared into the rising sun. It was beautiful.

“I should tell him.” he breathed, feeling like he’d been punched. “It won’t change anything, but he should know. Should know this was…important to me.”

“That’s a good man, Cap’n!” Flavia congratulated, slapping him on the back. “Beu’iful night for it as well.”

“Are you drunk, Flavia?”

“Yes.”

“Ah.”


	11. Fell Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THE MISCOMMUNICATION ANGST CHAPTER YO WE ARE SO CLOSE TO THIS ISLAND.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jus a lil more angst just a lil more. We are almost to the island, then the game can happen, and it can get less angsty and more cute and I can stop making myself FUCKING SAD.
> 
> Sorry for the irregular updates! Brain bees. Also Fire Emblem owns me rn.

Vasco didn’t expect to see De Sardet leaning on the rail as he walked back to his quarters. “Why hello there.” He called, good humor in his tone despite the omnipresent feeling of doom. “What’s brought you out here?”

De Sardet smiled a little “Came up for some air. Figured I should get my fill of it before landfall.”

“There’s air on land.” Vasco said reasonably “Not as good as air on the open sea, but you won’t suffocate.”

“Oh I’ll suffocate, but it won’t be for lack of air.” De Sardet laughed, stepping forward to brush their lips together. Hands rising to rest on Vasco’s chest. “I’m going to miss this.”

This was his chance. To tell him. Vasco’s brain went a thousand miles an hour as he hastily thought of a way to make the moment special. “Speaking of, I have something to show you.” He thought of the plush sky and the starlight bright as the sun. A good, clear night was something to share with this person he cared so much for, before their lives tore them apart.

De Sardets face seemed to fall for a moment, but then lightened back up, golden eyes crinkling. “Of course, my dear.”

My Dear.

Why…why did he say that? He was getting dumped on this ship in five minutes, Vasco was going to end this dalliance, and he comes out with ‘my dear?’ De Sardet briefly wondered if he could fling himself from the ship without Vasco noticing long enough to drown.

Vasco’s face broke into a charming smile, eyes widening in surprise, as if he genuinely liked the address. The glimmer of golden eyes made De Sardet’s heart race and wow, this was awful.

They walked across the ship, Nauts strangely skittering out of their way. De Sardet rambles about his day, Vasco about his, and both felt a strange sort of melancholy as they laughed with each other, knowing in five days, they likely never will again.

On the main deck, De Sardet got suspicious. Nobody was present, the wheel strapped in place. Vasco stopped, looking hesitant when he saw that too, before he breathed out “Flavia.” in a tone that implied undying gratitude, and a firm desire to keelhaul.

“Do you need to go get someone?” De Sardet asked, tone careful, hand twitching to take Vasco’s in his.

“No, no not yet.” Vasco said instead. Gesturing forward “Join me at the bow?”

They walked together and stopped looking over the bow into the inky black waters of night, dancing silver in parts that reflected the stars. Moonlight like a silver carpet over the sea. It reminded De Sardet of the golden carpet he and Constantin’s parents had laid out for dignitaries in his youth. Like someone important was about to happen, and he had to listen and be on his best behavior.

“Look up.” Vasco said softly, and of course, De Sardet could do nothing but obey. The sky was…amazing tonight. Trails of amethyst in shattered white geode in the sky, so close to the heavens De Sardet felt he could pluck a star from the sky.

“It’s beautiful.” He said instead of trying to verbalize the fluttering in his throat and his awe at the sight.

“Sometimes…” Vasco started, voice hesitant “Sometimes, you need a few hours of something truly beautiful. To, to remind you how small you are. Even if it won’t last till morning.”

“I didn’t get to see sights like this in Serene.” De Sardet admitted. “Too bright at night, but I’ve always been in awe of the sky.”

“In awe, are you?”

“Yes!” De Sardet laughed, leaning forward, feeling a weight settle in his stomach. Something beautiful, but it won’t last. It was subtle but. “I…I know it can’t last, despite my wishes, but on my very heart I would say it’s the loveliest thing I’ve ever beheld.”

“Well, a glowing commendation of my taste, I’d say.” Vasco said, fingers brushing De Sardet’s shoulder for a moment in absent affection. “I want it to last forever.”

De Sardet sighed “Me too. But the sun will come up.”

“Not for hours yet. The gulls haven’t even begun cryin’ yet.”

“I like when you do that.”

Vasco, taken aback, looked over “When I do what?”

“Your accent.” De Sardet admitted “You sound, noble, but sometimes you drop the ‘g’ and talk like the sailor you are. It’s…I like it. I like how you talk, either way. I just wanted to say I really like when you round out your vowels and drop words endings and, and, I uh. I just. I like you.”

Heat stung Vasco’s face. He had done…and received, such filthy adoration from this man for months, but the simple rambling confession of ‘I like you’ made it feel like there was stars in his veins. He looked up to the sky again. This was his moment. “I like you too, that’s why I wanted you to see this.” He admitted “I wanted to…to try and tell you how I saw this.”

It was, without a doubt, the most beautiful way someone had ever left him. The beautiful sky, the subtle way he said it was over, he loved Vasco so much his heart ached. But even this, was perfect, if painful. Perhaps in another life, he’d have coaxed the sailor off the ship, convinced him to dock in New Serene, to be with him when he wasn’t with the sea. But in this one, Vasco had told him that for all the beauty of what they had, the sun was coming up. And that was his choice, and fair, and reasonable, and De Sardet didn’t want to be childish about it. He didn’t want to cry. So instead he reached up and tilted Vasco towards him and kissed him deeply. “Thank you.” He murmured, lips brushing the Captains as he spoke “For everything, Vasco.”

“O’ course.” The Captain blinked, a fragile smile on his lips. “Shall we stay a while longer?”

De Sardet stepped back. “I think…I think I love it too much to watch it die.” He kissed Vasco again and walked away. He didn’t look back. He walked and walked and walked. Sliding bellow deck and into Constantin’s chambers.

“Cousin?” The blonde asked, groggy and pushing himself up with one arm. “You look. Cousin what’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong.” De Sardet said, a shiver in his chest working up through his throat to his eyes, suddenly wet. “I just. Can I-”

Constantin shuffled and lifted the blanket, naked concern in his features.

De Sardet crawled into bed and took a deep calming breath as his cousin’s arms slung around him.

“It’ll be okay.” His cousin whispered.

“I know.” De Sardet whispered back.

Above deck, Vasco lowered his face to the sea, letting the waves song soothe the rejection.


End file.
